04/09/2026
🇯🇵Where does this unusual surname come from?
The Japanese surname 「四月一日」 is read as
わたぬき (Watanuki) — quite different from how the kanji look!😳
There is an interesting story behind it.
① Winter: Cotton keeps you warm
In the past, people would put cotton padding inside their clothes to keep warm during winter.
② Spring: Time to take the cotton out
When the weather became warmer, the cotton padding was removed and the clothes became lighter.
③ April 1: 綿抜き（わたぬき）
April 1 was traditionally associated with taking the cotton padding out of winter clothes.
This was called 綿抜き（わたぬき）.
And somehow, 「わたぬき」 became the reading of the surname 「四月一日」!
💡 A little Japanese language note
This is one of those unusual Japanese surname readings where the kanji and pronunciation don’t seem to match at all — and that’s what makes Japanese surnames so interesting! 🤭
That’s why I love learning about Japanese surnames.
There are always so many interesting stories hiding behind them! 🥹
#日本姓氏 #知识 #文化
