Love, Japanese Style

It's Valentine's Day, and in the U.S., that means chocolates, roses, romantic dinners and marriage proposals galore. In Japan, Valentines Day is almost unrecognizable by U.S. standards. On February 14, only the men receive chocolates, and they spend most of the day trying not to receive them! That's because (and I'm sure this will catch on in the states soon!) March 14 is White Day, a holiday created in Japan in 1980. Tradition dictates that the men who received gifts on Valentine's Day must return the favor and give something in return to the ladies. The return gift is also called a "sanbai-gaeshiin", since the gift the boy gives is supposed to be three times the value of the gift he received.

According to the Wikipedia, "There are many theories about the origins of White Day. According to one, the holiday began in 1965 when a marshmallow maker started marketing to men on the grounds that they should pay back the women who gave them chocolate and other gifts with marshmallows.



"Soon thereafter, confectionery companies began to realize that they could capitalize on such a tradition as well, and began marketing white chocolate. Now, men give both white and non-white chocolate, as well as other edible and non-edible gifts, such as jewelry or objects of sentimental value, or white clothing like lingerie, to women from whom they received chocolate on Valentine's Day one month earlier."

Not to be out done, single folks have created their own holiday, too, called Black Day. Celebrated on April 14, those that didn't receive gifts for Valentine's Day or White Day will get together and eat noodles with black bean or white sauce to represent their "singledom."

White (and Black) Day is actually becoming more widespread, and is celebrated in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and various European countries.

What do you think? Do you think White Day will ever catch on in America? Post your thoughts in the comments!

Links to White Day and Black Day