These 2 holidays are a way for children to express their feelings to their parents. Mother’s Day in Japan is more important than Father’s Day. What do we eat on these days?
- Mother’s Day in Japan “Haha no hi” 母の日
- What do we eat in Japan for Mother’s Day?
- Tamagoyaki 卵焼き
- The chawanmushi 茶碗蒸し
- What about the father’s day “chichi no hi” 父の日 in Japan?
Mother’s Day in Japan “Haha no hi” 母の日
In Japan, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the2nd Sunday in May. Traditionally, children get up very early in the morning to wish them “ haha no hi ” (literally Mothers’ Day) with gifts such as the inevitable pink or red carnation flower symbolizing sweetness, purity and love. There are also other classic gifts such as a scarf, a bag, jewelry or a handmade drawing!
What do we eat in Japan for Mother’s Day?
On this occasion 2 dishes are prepared around the egg:
The tamagoyaki 卵焼き
Tamagoyaki , a staple of Japanese cuisine, is a sweet and salty rolled Japanese omelet. It is made of dashi (Japanese broth) mirin soy sauce and egg. It is prepared in a square pan and rolled up with long Japanese chopsticks. It could be compared to a rolled up omelette cake. Then, once cooked, the roll is compressed to a rectangular shape using a bamboo mat called makisu. The whole thing is sliced and served hot or cold
The chawanmushi 茶碗蒸し
Chawanmushi is an egg custard incorporating various ingredients like mushrooms, vegetables, meat in a steamed tea bowl. It is a recipe that can be adapted according to individual taste. The ginkgo seed is found in most recipes.
What about the “chichi no hi” father’s day 父の日 in Japan?
Father’s Day is celebrated on the 3rd Sunday of June in Japan. There are the classic gifts such as tie, belt, shirt, buttonhole… the whole panoply of a real salaryman! On Father’s Day, there is no particular custom but the day starts with a very copious breakfast. Bottles of alcohol as gifts will also be very appreciated by the dad as :
- Sake : Sake is a typical Japanese rice alcohol, a must-have gift for this holiday.
- Japanese beer
- Wine : Wine is becoming more and more established in Japan and is very popular on Japanese tables.
- Japanese whisky: There are 2 very famous brands of whisky in Japan, Suntory and Nikka established since about 1900.
Moreover the famous Japanese brand Suntory has released for this occasion a special edition of whisky for Father’s Day. 
This one is packed in a special and limited edition furoshiki (different according to the years). A furoshiki is a Japanese fabric tied in a traditional way to wrap also the famous bento japanese. If you want to wrap this whisky or any other bottle with a furoshiki here is an explanatory video:
These two holidays are a way for children to express their gratitude, respect and feelings to their parents. However, in Japan, Mother’s Day is more important than Father’s Day. Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms and dads of the world!
