Japan's Second Valentine's Day
In this article, Ace introduces a Japanese holiday taking place a month after Valentine's Day.
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White Day
White Day
By Ace Case
By Ace Case
Holidays are typically different between cultures. Whether it’s similar holidays celebrated around the same time of year or the same holiday celebrated in completely different parts of the world, it’s never the same all over. In the case of Valentine's Day in Japan, because of the way they celebrate it, they have a second one a month later on Mar. 14: White Day.
The exact start of White Day in Japan is not known, but there are theories, the most popular of which is that the tradition started in the late 1970s. According to Forbes magazine, in this story, “White Day is actually the invention of a small confectionery shop, Ishimura Manseido, in the Hakata region in the 1970s.” In 1977, a higher-up in the company was looking for inspiration and a letter caught his attention. Valentine's Day in Japan is for women to give gifts to men in their lives, while the men have historically not ever given anything back. In the letter read by the higher-up, Zengo Ishimura, a woman was frustrated that she and other women were never given anything in return. One thing the woman mentioned was how she would like something like marshmallows in return, and Ishimura took inspiration from that. He made marshmallow treats and the first White Day was celebrated in 1978. Ishimura called it ‘Marshmallow Day,’ and while that name did not stick, ‘White Day’ did. A good few sources say White Day is dropping in popularity, but statistics to prove that are few and far between.
Image Credit to Yabai
At least in the States, people typically give gifts to their romantic partners and friends at the most. In Japan, for Valentine's and White Day, significant others and friends receive and give gifts, but it is also expected to give gifts to other people, like your coworkers. Gifts have different names depending on the people they are for. Honmei-choko, 本命チョコ, for your significant other, for example. Honmei-choko translates to ‘Favorite Chocolate’ for your favorite person. For your friends, you would give tomo-choko 友チョコ, the tomo part of the word coming from Tomodachi, the Japanese word for friend. For people like teachers, coworkers, or classmates, there is giri-choko, 義理チョコ, obligation chocolate. It is kind of like in elementary school where everyone got their entire class gifts. Sure, you might have gotten your friends better gifts, but you still gave something to everyone. The actual gifts for tomo-choko and giri-choko may be the same, but the intention is different; one is out of courtesy while the other is out of genuine friendship. Kazu Akiyama, a local of Kagawa Prefecture, says, “I receive gifts from my husband and family. My friends give me gifts in return when I send them.” So not everyone gives or receives giri-choko from coworkers and such, but the tradition of giving back on White Day to others in your life seems very much alive.
White Day can get a little expensive. Ten to fifteen gifts, which would likely be mostly giri-choko, could add up to about ¥10,000, which is about $66 USD. Part of Japan’s gift-giving culture also includes the practice of sanbai gaeshi 三倍返し, or triple return. It is less expected today, but when White Day was just picking up speed, people were expected to give a gift of triple the value of the one they received on Valentine's Day, which would have made the holiday even more expensive. Today, it is mostly expected to return the favor of equal or greater value, and not doing so could be seen as rejecting the gesture. Although it is less known, there is a secret language of what certain gifts mean, too. As McKinley Meyer, an exchange student in Japan (currently going by Makki), says, “There are a lot of different kinds of chocolate depending on who you give it to. And I find the confession culture here – the Kokuhaku culture – very interesting. The word kokuhaku directly translates to “White Confession'' which, in this case, is a confession of love.” Kokuhaku chocolate is honmei-choko given as a confession of love, but there are other examples of gifts carrying certain meanings. Some sources say marshmallows may be a rejection of a confession given on Valentine's Day, cookies may be given to friends, and hard candy may be given to a significant other. Classic chocolates seem to be the most common overall, though, especially for giri-choko.
Because Japan’s Valentine's Day was designed for men to receive gifts, Japanese culture made the second one for women to receive gifts. And though it may be expensive and may be dropping in popularity, it still seems to be a loved holiday.
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