White Day: Japan's very own Valentine's Day
Among many innovative inventions from Japan, we have the White Day--a day of love for the East--celebrated just a month from Valentine's Day, on March 14. While in the West couples exchange gifts on Valentine's Day, in Japan, it's about only women gifting chocolates to the men they love. Since women weren't happy with the arrangement, White Day was invented.
How did White Day begin?
Invented by a confectionary shop, Ishimura Manseido, White Day came into existence in the late 1970s. An executive of the company, Zengo Ishimura, discovered that women would love something as small as marshmallows as presents from men. Inventing a day for men to express their gratitude, Ishimura created a new sweet made of marshmallow paste with chocolate inside. Ishimura called the day "Marshmallow Day."
White Day in popular culture
The store changed the name of the day to "White Day" and by the 1980s, it was a hit all over Japan. Gradually, the concept spread to Taiwan, and South Korea as well. In 2014, White Day became a $578 million market in Japan. At many offices, it became customary for men to chip in for a box of sweets for the female employees.
How is White Day celebrated?
White Day is a chance for men to reciprocate their feelings toward women who gifted them on Valentine's Day. Their response infers their feelings toward the women. There's a "rule of three," which requires men to gift something roughly three times the value of what they received. If they gift something of equal value, it implies that they don't want to pursue a relationship.
Decline in popularity
White Day is gradually declining in popularity every year as people find the gift-giving obligations dreary. Fewer women are giving "true love" chocolates to men; since the day depends on men reciprocating based on what they received, lesser gifts result in lesser reciprocation. According to a researcher, more women now order gourmet chocolate and eat on their own instead of giving or expecting gifts.
