There is no such thing as Pocky Day

Of all the food-related anniversaries celebrated in Japan each year, perhaps none is more famous than "Pocky Day". The November 11th celebration is known not only by Japanese people, but also by many expats and even tourists who have spent time in the country. Social media fills with photos of the chocolate-coated biscuit sticks, convenience stores create special displays, and the date has become almost synonymous with the iconic snack.

There is just one problem: officially, there is no such thing as "Pocky Day"!

November 11th is actually Pocky & Pretz Day (ポッキー＆プリッツの日), a commemorative day established to celebrate both of Glico's stick-shaped snacks. The date was chosen because the rows of 1s in 11/11 resemble the shape of Pocky and Pretz sticks standing side by side.

Yet while Pocky receives most of the attention each year, its savoury sibling is often overlooked. For every photograph of Pocky shared on social media, there are far fewer celebrating Pretz. It raises an interesting question: on a day that officially belongs to both snacks, why does Pocky seem to get all the glory?