Valentine’s Day in Japan is when we guys get gifts! Woo hoo! White day, a month later on March 14th, is when we have to reciprocate with, usually more expensive gifts. That’s the price of making her wait a month. ^^. Sanbai Gaeshi (三倍返し) is the idea. A return of 3x the valentine’s day gift. Extremely good ROI for her in my opinion! ^^. These are some of the chocolates I received this year. Yummy looking aren’t they.
I once thought that this Valentine’s Day, White Day business is only unique to Japan. However, according to big brother wikipedia, it seems like “it’s also observed in South Korea and Taiwan” too. Is that accurate? Seems like South Korea even have a Black Day for sharing singleness. A Jajangmyeon (noodles in black bean sauce) eat-fest!
The Origins of White Day can be traced back to 1978. Pretty recent. I got a little lazy and just grabbed the text from wikipedia. Please forgive me. m(_ _)m
White Day was first celebrated in 1978 in Japan. It was started by the National Confectionery Industry Association (全国飴菓子工業協同組合) as an “answer day” to Valentine’s Day on the grounds that men should pay back the women who gave them chocolate and other gifts on Valentine’s Day. In 1977 a Fukuoka-based confectionery company, Ishimura Manseido (石村萬盛堂), marketed marshmallows to men on March 14, calling it Marshmallow Day (マシュマロデー). Soon thereafter, confectionery companies began marketing white chocolate. Now, men give both white and dark 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. If the chocolate given to him was giri choco, the man as well may not be expressing actual romantic interest, but rather a social obligation.
I still remember the first chocolates I gave away on Valentine’s Day. I was 14 with a box of Ferrero Rocher in hand. You know Ferrero Rocher? Those chocolate balls with nuts in them? ^^. In high school, who you like is always an open secret. There was this one girl… Ok. Stop. Don’t want to bore you with my stories of failed love conquests. ^^.
By the way, π day is also held on March 14th. For the mathematician in all of us. ^^. Happy belated π day!
Shane over at NihonSun also wrote about White Day in Japan.
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- White Day
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- Moving in Japan
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Valentine’s Day and White Day are great business models – they gave Japanese girls excuses to be proactive! The confectionary association was smart.
Indeed 12% of whole annual domestic sale of chocolate concentrates in the Vday season:
http://www.chocolate-cocoa.com/statistics/domestic/valentine.html
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k Reply:
March 21st, 2009 at 1:55 am
I think that was a side effect. haha. They were probably more concerned with “how can we sell more chocolates”.
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Now that’s great! Perhaps I can try to help bring White Day to America?
Here in America there really is no special day for us guys… unless you’re a father (Father’s Day)….
Darvin @ Inexpensive Gifts for Men´s last blog ..Gift Ideas for Men for Valentines Day
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