In Japan, Mother’s Day was originally celebrated on March 6, the birthday of Empress Kōjun.
The practice began during Japan’s Shōwa period. March 6 was chosen because it was the birthday of Empress Kōjun, the consort of Emperor Shōwa and the mother of Emperor Akihito. The Imperial Women’s Union helped establish this early form of the observance in 1931.
Japan’s Mother’s Day tradition later shifted toward the international pattern associated with Anna Jarvis’s holiday. A “Praise Mothers” meeting was held in 1937, and in 1949 Japanese society adopted the second Sunday of May as the official date. That is why the March 6 observance is mainly a historical detail rather than the date used today.
Modern Japanese celebrations commonly include flowers, especially red carnations and roses. Empress Kōjun should not be confused with Empress Shōken, Empress Meiji, or Empress Michiko; the March 6 connection specifically refers to Kōjun’s birthday.