Traditionally, the Japanese are more reserved with their feelings than some other cultures around the world. As a result, men reportedly have a hard time saying ‘I love you’ to their wives. But an annual ritual, called Love Your Wives Day, which began five years ago in anticipation of Valentine’s Day, has set out to change that. For one night, husbands are invited to take the stage in Tokyo’s Hibiya Park to profess their love for their wives—by screaming it at the top of their lungs.
Dozens of men sign up for the chance to yell their feelings— from terms of endearment to apologies. After saying he was sorry for his weight gain due to his wife’s great cooking, one man shouted, “Thank you for making such delicious bentos every day. I love you.”
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLXqtz_I2qM
The event was started by a 53-year old divorcee who says he’s reformed and with his second wife vows to spend more time with family, less time with work. He started the event because he found it was often difficult for men in Japan to express their love, but this gathering literally gives them a stage to do so.
What might seem like a bizarre and over the top way to express love is actually welcomed by the wives, with one woman reflecting, “It just reminded me of how macho he used to be, a fact that I’d forgotten for the last eight years since I married him. My heart pounded.”
So this Valentine’s Day, why not scream your love for your significant other—whether on stage or not. If the Japanese can do it, so can we.
