In Japan, the second Sunday of May is Mother’s Day and the third Sunday of June is Father’s Day.
The idea of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day came from the U.S.
It is common to give mothers flower carnations on Mother’s Day in Japan.
These days, many kinds of shops do campaigns for Mother’s Day e.g. sweets, fruits, apparel and so on.
For Father’s Day, it is popular to present ties, alcohol and food etc.
When I was a child, I didn’t have enough money to buy a proper gift so I wrote a letter and made Otetsudai-ken which means Favor card or Kata-tataki-ken which is massage in your shoulders card.
I don’t remember that my mother used those though.
There is still a beer opener that my sister drew on our father’s face on it as a gift for Father’s Day at my parents house.
My mother told me that my sister made it at kindergarten.
After I started working, I normally send my mother carnations with a pot so that you can enjoy seeing the flowers for a few years.
Or nice brand fruits like cherry from Yamagata prefecture would be also nice.
I presented it sometimes for Mother’s Day.
My sister is planning to send my parents nice cherries in June.
The common gifts in Japan I think for Mother’s Day are as below.
1.flowers
2.sweets
3.fruits
4.kitchen goods
5.beauty goods
I also find that there are many original products that you can choose the messages you want to put on it
like a cup, pen or label of Sake or beer.
Sometimes I forget about Father’s Day for some reasons but Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are both good events to sell products for shops in Japan.
“Mother raises children and Father works.”
In Japan, that kind of thinking still exists.
It is old traditional thinking but I guess at least my grandparents’generation think that way.
Therefore it is likely that Mother and a child are more bonded than Father and a child in Japan.
Some of my female friends are not working at all or working as a part time worker and her husband works full time.
I think it is normal style these days but it also exists that both work full time like one of my cousins.
I’m thinking to send a letter and a small gift to my parents living in Japan from Germany.
When I find nice stuffs, I will send it to them.
To send a gift does not be always on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.
There are some ways to call a mother in Japanese as below.
Okaa-san (formal and common)
Kaa-san (a little frank)
Ofukuro (old and frank)
Okan (frank and west Japan style)
Mama (young generation)
When you speak or write in formal situations, it is normal to call your mother as below.
Haha-oya
Haha
By the way, shops in Japan are usually open on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays as well as weekdays.
There are a lot of 24/7 convenience shops in Japan.
A lot of shops have almost no closed day.
Japan is very convenient to shop but people in Japan might be working too much compared to the other countries.
There are 16 days public holidays a year in Japan.
In Berlin Germany, 11 days are public holiday a year.
Some public holidays are depends on the states in Germany.
I could not imagine if it happens in Japan e.g. Tokyo is holiday but Osaka is not the same.
Every prefecture holidays are the same in Japan.
In Europe, shops are usually not open on Sundays and public holidays, even supermarkets.
That was new for me because many people in Japan go shopping at shops or shopping malls on Saturdays and Sundays.
I don’t like to go shopping when it is crowded but in Japan, it’s convenient that you can go shopping any time you want to.
Anyway, it is also a good idea that you spend time with your mother on Mother’s Day.
It is nice to think how you thank your mother and father on Mother’s Day and Father’s day.