White Day in Japan

White Day is celebrated annually on March 14, one month after Valentine's Day, when people give reciprocal gifts to those who gave them gifts received on Valentine's Day. It began in Japan in 1978; since then, its observance has spread to several other Asian nations. An executive had read a letter in a women's magazine lamenting the fact that men receive chocolate from women on Valentine's Day, but women are not returned the favor.

There was another gauge for responses among men based on the type of confectionary that was given – marshmallows mean dislike, cookies mean “let's just be friends”, macaroons mean “you're a special friend” and hard candy means “I like you”. However, it is not uncommon for the Japanese to be unaware of what each means.