Hello! Hello! It’s me, Gembira! Did you have a fantastic week? I sure hope so because I have something super exciting to share with you today!
Lately, I’ve been curious about celebrations that aren’t widely known everywhere but are a huge deal in some places. That’s when I stumbled upon White Day! Have you heard of it?
In Japan, March 14 is a special day when men return the favor for the gifts they received from women on Valentine’s Day by giving sweet treats! From chocolates to mochi, Tai Monaka, Poki-Poki, and even ice cream—to return their appreciation and affection! Pretty cool, right?
But that got me thinking… If Japan already celebrates Valentine’s Day, why add another holiday? Why not just exchange gifts on the same day? Well, the answer is actually really interesting!
There's a popular theory that, when Valentine’s Day was first introduced to Japan, a translation mistake may have made it seem like only women were supposed to give chocolates! But, of course, women weren’t too happy about that!
Seeing an opportunity, confectionery companies introduced White Day (March 14), giving men a chance to return the favor with sweets! One company even promoted the idea that men should give white-themed treats—like marshmallows and white chocolates! The idea caught on, and before long, White Day became an official tradition.
Of course most of this is just theories, but it’s fun to think that a whole tradition and culture may have started because of a simple translation error, isn’t it?
But like I mentioned, people don’t just give white sweets on White Day anymore! Nowadays, they exchange all kinds of delicious treats—from mochi and Tai Monaka to Poki-Poki and even ice cream! What started as a clever marketing move has grown into a fun and heartwarming tradition that makes the Valentine’s season even sweeter!