Valentine’s Day in the United States
In the United States, most people think of Valentine’s Day as an occasion for showering loved ones with affection. This affection often takes the form of cards, flowers, fancy meals, and of course, chocolate. Valentine’s day is also celebrated in other parts of the world, but the holiday traditions are as different as the cultures in which they are celebrated.
Valentine’s Day in Japan
In Japan, Valentine’s Day was not celebrated until the 1950’s. Rumor has it that a Japanese chocolate company, wanting to cash in on the spread of Western culture and give a boost to the economy in the difficult post-war days, introduced Valentine’s Day to Japan. It wasn’t long before other chocolate companies started marketing special products for Valentine’s Day, and the holiday became a huge source of revenue for chocolate companies. In fact, more than half of the chocolate that is sold yearly in Japan is sold around Valentine’s Day.
Tradition With a Twist
The Japanese Valentine tradition that differs the most from American Valentine tradition is that on Valentine’s Day, only women are expected to give gifts. There are two kinds of presents that women give on Valentine’s Day—the first is called “giri-choco,” which translates as “obligation chocolate,” and the second is called “honmei-choco,” which translates as “prospective winner chocolate.”
Giri-Choco
Giri-choco is cheap chocolate that is presented to male coworkers and bosses out of obligation. Many men feel ashamed if they don’t receive giri-choco from their female coworkers, although the tradition of giving giri-choco is becoming less popular. Because of the idea of reciprocation in Japanese culture, men are expected to return the favor by giving women gifts on White Day, which is on March 14th, exactly one month after Valentine’s Day. Originally, White Day gifts were supposed to be marshmallows (it was thought up by a marshmallow company), but nowadays they are more likely to be chocolates, clothing, or dinners.
Honmei-Choco
Honmei-choco is reserved for the men that are special in a woman’s life. She may buy honmei-choco for close family members, her boyfriend, or her husband. Honmei-choco gifts are made of more expensive chocolate, and often consist of chocolates molded in the shape of something the recipient enjoys--golf-balls, for example. If a man is really lucky, he will receive homemade honmei-choco on Valentine's day as a sign of deep love and affection.