Japanese Valentine Day

Every Feb 14th is known as Valentine day in world and gifts, presents and sweets are exchanged among family, lovers and friends. In Japan, it seems people enjoy different ways from Westerns. You may have Japanese lovers in future from trip to Japan. For that case, you might want to know what Japanese Valentine is. (Feb 2009)

Features of Japanese Valentine
It is very different from westerns, which is "girls give chocolates to boys". This comes from campaign of snack company in 1960s and this idea had been fixed since then in spite of original one. This is extremely highly commercial objective but this idea was penetrated very much and 20% of chocolate assumption in Japan happens in Valentine Day.

In past, which is when Valentine day is coming soon, people saw a lot of chocolate advertisement in town and media. Valentine chocolate corners were opened even in non-sweets shops and retails and girls came fast and furious in popular shops, however, now very typical chocolates are not appreciated and fancy and exclusive chocolates such as very famous patisserie became popular. Advertisement and TV promotion has been decreased and department stores open Valentine booth for promoting chocolates, instead. 

Furthermore, as new trend of Valentine which is originally from consumers' habit, media and companies which target more chocolate assumption are suggesting some movements like following.

Giri-Chocolate
Such as boss and coworkers, or somebody who you consider as "Just a Friend", girls give this chocolate to them. Girls don't get be in love with them but give chocolates for aiming more smooth relationship in Valentine and respecting their pride. In the early time, there is no word of Giri-Chocolate so there were some cases that boys misunderstood, which means boys consider the girls love them even not. This humor word helped girls because those chocolates were just Giri (Giri means Pity).

On the other hand, there is Honmei-Chocolates, which is for ones who girls really love and obvious that this is not Giri such as wrapping and package. Giri-Chocolates cost less than 100 JPY so boys can absolutely guess how girls consider as the boys from the cost.

Tomo-Chocolate
This is chocolate from girls to girls.
During Valentine season, you see so many kinds of chocolates in department stores and there are rare chocolates which you don't see out of this season so girls think that they actually want to give those to not only boys but also girls. Some girls spend money on Tomo-Chocolates more than Giri-hocolates. (Tomo means Friend)

My-Chocolate
This is chocolate for oneself.
This is the same as Tomo-Chocolate. Seeing Valentine-only-chocolates, they want to try chocolates by their selves. For female chocolate fan, department stores in Valentine look like chocolate heaven.

Gyaku-Chocolate
This is not chocolate from girl but chocolate from boys to girls.
This is the word which was recently made. Chocolate makers which target more chocolate assumption may try to make this big trend but there is White Day in March so anybody can tell that this is not general trend. (Gyaku means opposite)

White Day
March 14th is the day which boys who got chocolates in Valentine give something to girls in return. This trend doesn't exist in westerns and chocolate makers made this day in 1980s as one of campaigns. It seems they have the same trend in Taiwan and Korea.
In Valentine day, girls give chocolates to boys but boys basically give candies or marshmallows in White day. In recent years, it doesn't matter if the gift is one of sweets. In addition, even you got Giri-Chocolate in Valentine, you should give back in return in March 14.

Japanese Perception of Valentine Day
From 2006, Valentine research has been started in order to identify how people think about Valentine. According to the result, there are negative opinions against "a gift from females" and "Giri-Chocolate". Japanese Valentine Style might be changing in future.