The 12th is Mother's Day — a day to appreciate mothers' daily efforts. Department stores and florists line up carnation bouquets, pots, and related goods as if waiting for the day. At "Hana no Mise Arch" in the B1 of Palaceside Building in Takebashi, fresh carnations and carnation arrangements were displayed with orders taken. The shop is usually closed Saturdays but open that morning on the 11th only.
Making the second Sunday of May "Mother's Day" seems to originate in America. After the Civil War, Anna Jarvis, daughter of Ann who nursed wounded on both sides, honored her late mother with white carnations at a Sunday-school memorial — white was Ann's favorite. The gratitude movement spread nationwide; in 1914 President Wilson made the second Sunday in May a national holiday. White carnations if mother had passed, red if living — the custom took hold.
In Japan, Mother's Day was first March 6. In 1931 the Greater Japan Federation of Women's Associations marked Empress Kōjun's birthday, Chikyūsetsu, as Mother's Day; around 1949 it shifted to America's second Sunday in May.
Actually, Mother's Day dates vary worldwide. Earliest: Norway, second Sunday in February. Britain: fourth Sunday counting back 46 days from Easter (late March–April). Nepal: "Day to See Mother's Face" one day late April–early May. Hungary: Women's Day, first Sunday in May. Neighboring Korea celebrates Parents' Day on May 8. France: last Sunday in May. Thailand marks Queen Sirikit's birthday, August 12, with light-blue clothes and flags — jasmine, not carnations, as the gift flower. Latest: Indonesia, December 22, from the first women's conference in 1928, set by President Sukarno in 1959. Mothers are respected regardless of country or religion.
UN NGO Save the Children recently released a "Countries Kind to Mothers" ranking. Finland topped this year; Sweden second, Norway third — Nordic countries dominated. Evaluating 176 countries on five items including lifetime risk of maternal death, under-five mortality, and share of women in parliament, Japan fell one place to 31st. As an economic power, Japan should keep striving to be kinder to mothers and climb the ranks.