Valentine’s day in Japan is a Chocolate Day! Japanese chocolate confectioneries make 70% of their business through Valentine’s Day annually. If you go to any stores, you will find all kinds of chocolate. How Japanese Valentine is different?
History of Valentine’s day in Japan
When Valentine’s Day came into Japan in 1950’s, Japanese confectionary companies advertised that it is a day to confess your love with sweet chocolate. For a long time, it was a day a girl would give chocolate to a boy. Then, it became a day to give chocolate to men in general. When I was working in a company 30 years ago, we called it “Giri-Choco” Giri choco (義理チョコ, lit. “obligation chocolate”) is chocolate given by women to men on Valentine’s Day in Japan as a customary gift. Unlike honmei choco, which is given to romantic partners, giri choco is a type of chocolate that women give to male co-workers, bosses, and acquaintances out of appreciation and politeness. Men generally reciprocate by giving women gifts on White Day, which is celebrated on March 14.
Before this valentine’s day became popular, women confessing love to men was not common and confectioneries capitalized on chocolate as a way for them to profess their love; however, as the social status of women improved, Valentine’s Day was later considered a day where women give chocolate to men, through which the giri choco custom emerged. It is said that Giri choco custom first occurred in the 1980s where working women were obligated to give chocolate to their co-workers and bosses, as both of the Japanese corporate and gift-giving cultures made it appropriate for this exchange to take place.
In the 1970s, White Day began as a tradition where men would reciprocate giri choco gifts in order to boost sales. White Day gift sales are heavily influenced by sales from Valentine’s Day. White Day, celebrated on March 14, when men buy sweets and gifts for women.
Different types of chocolate
While Japan has a strong gift-giving culture, the origins of giving chocolate on Valentine’s Day is unclear. One popular explanation is that the trend was started by junior high school girls, who would give handmade chocolate to boys to see if they returned their affections, and it later became commercialized in the mid-1950s, with the first Valentine’s sale taking place in 1958 at Mary Chocolate.
Honmei choco (本命チョコ, “true feeling chocolate”) in Japan is chocolate that women give to their true love on Valentine’s Day. This is often given to husbands, boyfriends, and partners. Honmei chocolate is usually higher-quality and more expensive than giri choco (“obligation chocolate”), which is given to male coworkers and other men the woman has no romantic attachment to. Homemade honmei choco is also popular.
Giri Choco (義理チョコ, “obligation chocolate”) On Valentine’s Day in Japan, giri choco is inexpensive chocolate that women give to male co-workers and friends to show appreciation and respect as opposed to honmei choco.
Tomo Choco (友チョコ, “friendship chocolate”) The tradition of giving giri choco is losing popularity in Japan beginning in the late 2010s and is criticized for pressuring women to buy chocolate for their co-workers to avoid offending them.Instead, women opt to give friendship chocolate to their friends.
Jibun Choco （自分チョコ、”Chocolate for myself”）Now new trend is to buy really good chocolate for yourself. Reward yourself on Valentine’s Day！
If you are chocolate lover, you can visit some department stores. They usually have a huge chocolate section from late January up to Vaelntine’s day. You will be able to see chocolate from all over the world. Some are really fancy and expensive. Some are cute and some are funny. Some of the department stores have eat-in area to enjoy chocolate soft serves.
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