Western Religious Customs becoming Japanese Events

In Japan there are various traditional events such as the bean-scattering ceremony celebrating the coming of spring and the Dolls Festival for girls. These are long held Japanese customs, but the number of people celebrating these customs is gradually decreasing. In contrast, western religious events are gradually gaining popularity among Japanese people, beginning with Christmas, which is celebrated as merrily as in the West, and more recently Halloween.

Among these events, Valentine's Day has become an unmissable event for young people. February 14th is the day when Saint Valentine was executed as he saved the lives of a couple who were about to get married, and is the day when couples take oaths of love. On this day in Western countries for people cards, flowers and cakes are commonly exchanged between not only men and women, but also between families and friends. In Japan, however, Valentine's Day has prevailed as the day when women present chocolates to the men they love.

It is not only in Japan that chocolates are given on this day. They say that it is very common to give sweets such as chocolate to show the sweetness of one's love throughout the West. However, no country compares with Japan when it comes to giving chocolate on Valentine's Day. It is said that one fourth of the annual quantity of chocolates consumed in Japan, is consumed on this special day. Nowadays, there is even a tendency for women to give chocolates to their co-workers and superiors, but this is called "obligatory chocolate."

Confectionary Industry created the Event
March 14 is called White Day in Japan. This is the day when men who received chocolates on Valentine’s Day return a gift such as marshmallows or candies to the women who gave them. This practice is only seen in Japan. In Japan a custom to give money for both wedding and funeral ceremonies and then to send something in return is widely practiced. It may seem safe to say that this is where White Day has its roots.

In fact, it was the Japanese confectionary industry that created White Day. They explain that March 14th was the day when the couple who were saved by St. Valentine took an oath again for each other’s love one month after his death. It seems that they have taken advantage of certain peculiar characteristics of the Japanese that makes them not only very fond of adopting new Western culture, which they assimilate easily, but also fond of following something as a group.

However, according to a survey held by one company, 70% of female and 50% of male staff responded saying that they would prefer to stop the custom of giving chocolate. Giving chocolate has developed into an event that has nothing to do with religion. Should sales of chocolates decline significantly, the plotters will introduce another product. This is what is called Japanese lightness, or in other words, Japanese flexibility or generosity towards different cultures.

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