Japan Australia Pages

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

White Day in Japan

Image from andrene_morris
March 14th is White Day in Japan. What is White Day you ask? White Day is exactly one month after Valentines’s Day, and is where boys have to return the favour of gifts received from girls on Valentine’s Day.

On Valentine’s Day in Japan girls present the boys with gifts usually chocolate. White Day is where the boys have to return the favour. Why call it White Day? It is pretty simple really. White is the colour of sugar the main ingredient in candy which is traditionally given on White Day.


Popular White Day gifts are traditionally white chocolate, cookies, jewellery, white lingerie, and marshmallows, but these days anything goes.

There is a word in Japanese “三倍返し” (sanbai gaeshi) which means triple the return, where the rule is a returned gift should be 2 to 3 times the cost of the Valentine’s gift. The boys have it tough on White Day in Japan.

White Day was first celebrated in Japan in 1978. It is also celebrated in South Korea and Taiwan.

10 comments:

  1. I'm hoping I'll get a book rather than chocolate, but I'd be happy with just a hug, too. I'm cheap and easy. :D

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  2. Thanks Rurousha, Happy White Day! It is the thought that counts, so a hug is good. Plan on chocolates for the Mrs :)

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  3. Ladies - enjoy the chocolates today! :)

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  4. I live in Korea, it is the same tradition of celebrating White Day here. You have nice blog)

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  5. Thanks Lia, Yes, it sounds like White Day is very similar in Korea. Hope you had a great White Day :)

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  6. Hey I read that white day was originally termed as Marshmallow Day, and Marshmallow has a meaning; it is the Ishimura Manseido candy company that was created marshmallow treats as gifts for this day.Is this True? Have got this information here..

    http://www.whatisall.com/entertainment/what-is-white-day.html

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    1. Thanks Dasy, Not sure about that. From what I've read, White is the colour of sugar, which is the main ingredient in candy, traditionally given on White Day.

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    2. Yap it means white chocolate treats and thats why the day named as white day

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    3. Can't say that I've seen a lot of white chocolate on White Day. Mostly milk chocolate goodies :)

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