Valentine’s day

Even before the bells have quieted for New Year’s the displays for the next holiday are up. Valentine’s Day. Not the Valentine’s Day of the West that tends to focus on romantic gestures from men towards women or the  Valentine’s of childhood, where cards and candies are given to everyone in your class. Not this is a holiday that was brought over to Japan and lost in translation.

Japan landed on this idea of chocolate for men from a misunderstanding of an advertising ad.

Valentine’s Day is for men. Yes, men and boys benefit from this holiday here in the land of the rising sun. This led to the idea that only men should receive chocolates on this day.  

It is a time when young women might have the courage to confess romantic feelings – or kokuhaku- without judgment. They typically did this with homemade chocolates. Or girlfriends spend hours of their time learning how to make and decorate these chocolates. If that fails, or time does not allow, then store-bought chocolates come into play. And they range from the beautiful and sophisticated to the fun and cute. 

In recent years, some women have been known to give chocolates to their female and male friends alike. This has come with the influx of foreigners into the country. Japanese people are often surprised that this holiday tends to fall into the realm of friendship and fun more than just the romantic. While the T.V. shows and movies highlight the sweeping romance of the day… of finding true romantic love; friendships and familial bonds seem lost in transition.