14/02/2021
When we think about Valentine’s Day, we generally imagine a day on which both men and women express their love for their special person by exchanging chocolates and/or gifts.
In Japan, though, Valentine’s Day is celebrated with unique customs and traditions, which differ slightly from those in Western countries.
Valentine’s Day originally became popular in Japan during the 1950s, when a sweets shop began selling heart-shaped chocolates during the season. The chocolates became a widespread trend that later spread to department stores and became increasingly popular, continuing to the present day.
What are the differences between Valentine’s Day in Western countries and in Japan? The biggest difference is almost certainly the custom that, in Japan, only women give gifts, and those gifts nearly always consist of just chocolate. Men later give a gift in return on March 14th, which is called "White Day."
Another difference is that, on Valentine’s Day in Japan, women give chocolate not only to their object of affection, but also to male family members and male coworkers, as well as friends. However, the type of chocolate she gives each person depends on her relationship with them.
For this tradition, there are three types of chocolate: Giri Choco (義理チョコ), Honmei Choco (本命チョコ) and Tomo Choco (友チョコ). Giri Choco, or literally “obligatory chocolate,” is a gift women are expected to give to male family members and coworkers. This is typically a cheap type of chocolate, which does not convey any romantic feelings. Tomo Choco, or "friend chocolate," is chocolate that women give to their female friends as a symbol of their friendship. This is a somewhat new trend that is gaining popularity. FInally, Honmei Choco, or "first-choice chocolate," is chocolate a woman gives to the person she has romantic feelings for. Japanese women usually take special care in choosing Honmei Choco, which is generally high-quality and quite pricey, as a way of demonstrating their strong feelings for the recipient.