Celebrating White Day in Japan

White Day (ホワイトデー Howaito Dē) is celebrated a month after Valentine’s Day in Japan. Women and girls usually give their men friends gifts of chocolate as an expression of love, social obligation, or courtesy every 14th of February. A month later, on the 14th of March, also known as White Day, the men and boys who received the sweet tokens return the favor to the giver.

Chocolates of love are called honmei choco (本命チョコ), literally,  “true feeling chocolate.”  Giri choco (義理チョ) means “obligation chocolate.” Women give men both types of chocolates on Valentine’s Day.

Honmei choco is usually more expensive and of higher quality. Popular White Day gifts given by men are white chocolates, jewelry, cookies, marshmallows, and white lingerie. There is sometimes a general rule that is observed on White Day called sanbai gaeshi (三倍返), “triple the return,” where men are supposed to give gifts in return that are three times as expensive as the gifts they received.

White Day was first celebrated in Japan in 1978. It was initiated by the National Confectionery Industry Association as an “answer day” for men to pay back the gifts they received by the females who gave them chocolates and other presents on Valentine’s Day. Soon after, there was no stopping other companies and retailers from marketing various products for White Day.

With White Day nearing, Japan is abuzz with so many gift offerings that it is difficult to choose which one to give to your special someone. Krispy Kreme has joined the White Day bandwagon by offering specialized workshops for men to create their own White Day gifts made from doughnuts. Krispy Kreme has dubbed this event the White Day Donuts Remake Lesson.  This is part of Krispy Kreme  Japan’s Donuts Remake lecture series that aims to teach people new ways to enjoy their pastries through creative decoration. There’s no better way to show your love and appreciation for the special women in your lives than creating gifts with your own two hands.