Draven Jackson
Blogger | Teacher
Twitter

Everyone’s heard of Valentine’s Day – the universal day of chocolate, love, romance, and gifts. But are you familiar with Japan’s reverse Valentine’s holiday, White Day? Occurring every year on March 14, White Day is the national holiday where men who received gifts from the women in their lives on Valentine’s Day must return the favor.

Because White Day is primarily celebrated in Japan – although it has begun to seep into romantic Chinese and Korean holiday traditions – many people in other areas of the world may not be as familiar with the holiday’s history and its modern customs. To make learning about it easier, here is a quick guide to everything you need to know about Japan’s romantic White Day.

The History of White Day

White Day is said to have been started 40 years ago by a sweets company called Ishimura Manseido, located in Japan’s Fukuoka prefecture. In Japan, giving gifts and showing your appreciation and gratitude for those gifts is incredibly important, and Ishimura Manseido decided to use this cultural exchange as a way to capitalize on the incredible popularity of Valentine’s Day.

In order to show the women in their lives that they appreciated all their personal, loving efforts a month prior, in March, men will buy them chocolate-filled marshmallows, pastries, or sweets as gifts. Though it originally began as an exchange between romantic partners, White Daye eventually spread to include family members, friends, and even work colleagues.

Basically, if someone gives you a gift on Valentine’s Day, it is polite to give a gift in return on White Day in order to show your thanks! These gifts given in thanks are tied to the Japanese traditional practice of giving “okaeshi,” or gifts given as a thank you for gifts received.

White Day vs. Valentine’s Day

For those who may not be familiar with White Day, it can be a bit confusing to understand the difference between White Day and Valentine’s Day. In America, it’s common for couples to exchange gifts for one another on Valentine’s Day – everyone gives, and everyone receives, so there’s no need for a separate holiday.

In Japan, Valentine’s Day is more specifically a day for women to give gifts to the important people in their lives, primarily men. These gifts are commonly “giri choco,” or “obligation chocolate,” and are given to close colleagues, family members, and friends. Women can also elect to give “honmei choco,” or love chocolates, to people they have romantic feelings for.

For women who do not want to give romantic chocolates, there is also “tomo choco,” which is commonly given as friendly chocolates between female friends.

In order to show appreciation for the chocolates they received on Valentine’s Day, men use White Day to give small gifts back to the women in their lives. These gifts are primarily white, such as marshmallows, white cakes, or stationary. The gifts can also be something more expensive, like white scarves or pearl jewelry.

White Day Gifts

White Day gifts are primarily small, white treats or accessories, but they can also be something entirely different, like homemade chocolates or a day trip. In recent years, there has also been a divergence in the gift-giving traditions away from the idea of a “white” gift – now, gifts can be anything from lotion or jewelry to a homemade gift or a nice dinner.

For those looking to show their appreciation but may not have the money for an expensive gift, homemade treats are also okay! Whether they are homemade chocolate, a mix CD, or a cute photo album, gifts made by hand are some of the most heartwarming and adorable presents to receive. It can also be nice to take your important person out for a fun date and make cute memories, such as playing crane games at an arcade and winning them a cute plushy.

At the end of the day, it’s the effort that counts, and the love and appreciation you are trying to convey will be felt by the people receiving your gift.

Modern White Day Celebrations

White Day has changed a lot in the last 40 years – what started off as a way for men to show appreciation to the women who gave them gifts on Valentine’s Day has evolved into a way of showing love to the people around you (both on Valentine’s Day and White Day).

There has been some pushback in recent years from women trying to end the stressful tradition of ‘forced giving’ – now, instead of primarily giving chocolates to the male family members and co-workers, women use Valentine’s Day to give tomo choco to important female friends and family members. Some women also gift themselves “jibun choco,” or essentially chocolates given as a treat to yourself!

Then, on White Day, these female friends may give back small gifts if they didn’t exchange chocolates on Valentine’s Day. Men are also starting to forego traditional White Day gifts, instead choosing to give their partners or crushes “gyaku choco,” or “reverse chocolate,” on Valentine’s Day.

White Day is a unique Japanese holiday that has made its way into the romantic traditions and customs of other Asian nations. While it has changed a lot since it began in the 1980s, there’s no doubt that White Day is another way various cultures around the world have chosen to express their love and appreciation for the people closest to them.

If you know of any other interesting White Day traditions or want to discuss other interesting holidays in different countries and cultures, write to us in the comments!

About Draven Jackson

Draven is an avid writer and reader who enjoys sharing her opinions on movies, books, and music with the rest of the world. She will soon be working as a teacher in Japan and hopes to use her experience to connect with other teachers and students around the globe. Draven spends most of her time at home with her family, her dogs, and her ferret.

To see more, view all posts by Draven Jackson here.

Save