Information

2013.02.14

“Valentine’s Day” in Japan

Yesterday, I went to buy chocolate for making Valentine’s Day chocolate with my daughter.

In Japan, February 14 is the day that women will give chocolate to men. The chocolate that they will give to people they like or love is called “Honmei Choco” 「本命チョコ」. The chocolate that will be given to friends is called “Tomo Choco” 「友チョコ」 and the chocolate that will be given to colleagues at work is called “Giri Choco” 「義理チョコ」.These types of chocolate are special in their own way. Yesterday, my daughter made “Tomo Choco” by putting melted chocolate in different types of molds and decorating those pieces of chocolate which would be given to her male and female friends at school as well as her dad and her brother at home.

Next month, March 14 is the “White Day” which is the day that men will give chocolate or gifts back to women. If a guy likes a girl as a friend, he will give her “Tomo Choco”, but if he likes her as a lover, he will return her love by giving her “Honmei Choco”. It is the day that Japanese women are excited about the gifts that they will get in return.

The giving of chocolate on Japanese Valentine’s Day was the selling technique of a chocolate company which started in 1960 with the campaign “Chocolate from Women to Men”.

This practice is different from Valentine’s Day in Thailand which does not specify the genders of the givers. Anyone who is in love can take this opportunity to express their love. The gifts are mostly red roses with a card or other types of gifts which represent love. Both men and women have things to be excited about. What about Valentine’s Day in your style?