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    • About Us
    • Board and Staff
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
    • Follow Us on Social Media!
    • Join Our Email List
    • Resources
    • Testimonies/PR
  • Donate
  • Matsuri Bento-To-Go
    • Matsuri Bento-To-Go Fundraiser
  • Events/Programs/Classes
    • GVJCI >
      • GVJCI Upcoming Events
      • API Heritage Month: South Bay Stories
      • Bento Program
      • GVJCI Scholarship
      • 2022 Art Show
      • TANOSHII Fun Camp >
        • Camper Registration
        • Counselor Registration
        • Testimonials
        • Camp Supporters
        • Activities
        • FAQ
      • Restaurant Fundraiser
      • Virtual Matsuri >
        • VM Main Page
        • VM Content Schedule
        • 2021 VM Art Gallery
        • Entertainment
        • Food
        • Martial Arts
        • Matsuri Memories
      • Seniors >
        • TNK Classes
        • Smartphone/Tablet Class
        • Food Distribution >
          • Greeting Card Program
        • Tomo Cafe | 友カフェ
      • Recurring Events >
        • Day Of Remembrance >
          • DOR 2022 >
            • Big Band Music in Camp
            • Camp Comedy Performances
            • Japanese Cultural & Performing Arts
            • Fine Art >
              • Amache & Heart Mountain
              • Arts & Crafts
              • Henry Fukuhara
              • George Hoshida
              • Minidoka
              • Rohwer
              • Tanforan-Topaz Art School
          • DOR 2021 >
            • CSUDH Japanese American Digitization Project
            • Densho Campu Podcast
            • Lane Ryo Hirabayashi Tribute
            • South Bay JACL Oral Histories Collection
        • Meditation & More Class
        • Virtual Matsuri >
          • Art Gallery
          • Entertainment
          • Food
          • Martial Arts
          • Scholarship Recipients
      • Past Events >
        • 2021 GVJCI Online Art Show Home Page >
          • Artists A-J
          • Artists K-M
          • Artists N-O
          • Artists P-Z
        • The Bridge: GVJCI Heritage Center >
          • Book Club
        • KonMari Method Workshops | こんまり®︎メソッドワークショップ
        • Oshogatsu
        • Oysters, Bites & Biiru
        • TABE-DORAIBU >
          • TABE-DORAIBU
          • Map & Partner Bios
          • POINT SYSTEM
          • FOOD PICTURES
    • Japanese Language School >
      • Japanese Language School >
        • JLS Graduates
    • Member Organizations >
      • Arts/Music/Dance >
        • Bando Hidesomi
        • Hawaiian Music Class
        • LA Men's Glee Club
        • Meito Calligraphy
        • Taiko
      • Health and Wellness
      • Martial Arts >
        • Gardena JCI Kendo
        • Gardena Judo Club
        • Gardena Kendo
        • Gardena Naginata
        • Kyudo Renmei
      • Service >
        • Evening Optimist Club of Gardena
      • Sports >
        • Sansei Baseball League
        • South Bay F.O.R Junior Sports Association
        • South Bay Youth Basketball
      • Youth >
        • Boy Scout Troop 683
        • Boy Scout Troop 719
  • How to Help
    • Become a Friend of the GVJCI
    • Become a Bento Buddy!
    • Giving Tuesday 11.30.21
    • Donate Your Car!
    • 2022 GVJCI Raffle Drawing
    • Shop on Amazon
    • Volunteer
    • Purchase a 2023 Calendar Ad
  • Facility Reservations
  • Blog
    • Blog Terms of Use
    • Want to write for us?

GVJCI Blog
ガーデナ平原日本文化会館ブログ

Pi Day? No, White Day.

3/14/2019

0 Comments

 
By: Nicole Sato, GVJCI Program Manager 
March 14th is infamously known in the US as Pi Day. The punny holiday has taken a good commercialism with pie stores and pizza places celebrating Pi Day with their own pies.  

But in Japan, March 14th is known for a completely different holiday - White Day.  White Day??  If it weren't for this holiday, Japan may be celebrating Pi Day too. After all, they too like their pun holidays (November 11 is known as Pocky day because the 11/11 look like Pocky sticks.) 
Picture
aSo what's White Day? Let's back up a little. In the US, traditionally, chocolates, flowers, and gifts are given from a man to a woman. However, in Japan, the tradition's been reversed. Girls and women of all ages stay up the night before crafting their best handmade chocolate sweets to give to men, whether it be friends (tomo-choko), someone they want to confess their love to or someone they love (honmei-choko), or just someone as a polite V-Day gesture (giri-choko).  Different, right? 

Now, White Day. March 14th? Does the date seem kinda familiar? That's right, it's exactly a month after Valentine's Day. There are several theories on how and why this holiday actually started, but the most popular theory is that in the 70s, the confectionery industry started it up as "return day" for men to say thank you to the women that gave them chocolates (and their hearts, maybe) a month before. Hallmark Holiday, much? Totally.  

Their plan worked though, because White Day is still a thing now. Originally, it was called "White Day" because it was marketed to sell marshmallows. From there, it evolved to white chocolate, and now today, there's everything from regular chocolate to jewelry as a return gift. Now, White Day is celebrated not only in Japan, but in many Asian countries, including South Korea, Vietnam, and China. 

Speaking of South Korea...Didn't receive anything on either days? Don't worry, there's always Black Day next month on the 14th where singles who didn't receive anything on the past two months eat jajangmyeon (I'll give you a hint - it's black-ish looking) in misery ​😉
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Our mission is to create a space to engage, share, and embrace the Nikkei experience and culture.

The GVJCI envisions a vibrant network and a welcoming space for all persons interested in Japanese heritage and culture where history and tradition are honored, people are inspired to create action and change, and cultural pride and respect for all humanity are promoted.




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