New Year’s Day (元日): A Time for TraditionĬulture Day: The Holiday that Commemorates Peace Types of Japanese Valentine’s Day chocolate Obon: A Japanese Tradition Honoring The Ancestors’ Spirits Like what you’re reading and want to explore more Japanese culture? Check out our top picks for you: But despite the large displays of chocolate, people have now turned to make homemade chocolate.
So now, chocolate sellers and departments stores make huge profits every February from selling elaborate Valentine’s sweets. You’ll see scenes in anime and manga that depicts girls saying, “大好きだ (I really like you).” Not only is it normal now for women to confess in Japan, but it’s heavily commercialized. That’s how, due to an unfortunate translation mistake, “Giving chocolates on Valentine’s Day is a way for men to express love to women,” turned into “ Giving chocolates on Valentine’s Day is a way for women to express love to men.: And since then the tradition remained. Tapping into American culture, they thought it was clever to simply translate English slogans into Japanese. Spotting a new market opportunity, the confectionery company Morinaga introduced Valentine’s Day as an American chocolate-giving tradition. This is something that was frowned upon at that time, as women are expected to interact passively (instead of being the ‘aggressor’) in a relationship. To fill in that marketing lull, companies began to market heart-shaped chocolates as a way for women to confess their feelings. The strange interpretation of Valentine’s Day in Japan goes back to the early 1960s. Morinaga on Pioneering Valentine’s Day in Japan They decided to make Valentine’s Day a thing. So Japanese manufacturers saw one thing: an opening, a gap - and business potential. Patrick’s Day and Easter - a celebration for every month, but there weren’t any holidays in Japan then. In the U.S., New Year’s Day is followed by Valentine’s Day, St. It was primarily eaten in the Kansai area, but groceries and convenience stores soon made it accessible for people in the Kanto area. With no actual Christmas traditions, the company launched its “Kentucky for Christmas” marketing campaign in 1974, until it became a traditional Japanese meal for Christmas. Christmas was a secular holiday, and only 1% of the population was reported to be Christians. KFC, for example, realized there was a business opening in Japan. Instead, they were made by companies who saw an opportunity. What do they have in common? These traditions didn’t stem from actual Japanese culture or roots. To make sense of it, think of KFC chicken buckets bought on Christmas, or long makizushi rolls (called ehomaki) sold at convenience stores during Setsubun. But how does a holiday that originated from the Roman empire got transported to Japan? For a start, there’s obon, setsubunand the Golden Week. We know that Valentine’s Day isn’t an actual traditional day in Japan. Bottom line is, romantic interest is not some prerequisite a girl needs to have in order to show appreciation. Japanese women give chocolate to boys that she likes and also to their friends, families or colleagues. Platonic, romantic, or between families - it doesn’t matter. In Japan, you can consider Valentine’s Day as a day of love, but think of love in all non-romantic ways possible, like when you say “I love you” to your parents or best friends. In other words, it’s a dreadful day for singles. While some people can’t wait for Valentine’s Day to start, others just want the holiday to end. It’s exclusive to partners who are in a relationship or are married. For the rest of us, we’re comfortable with Valentine’s Day being synonymous with romantic dates. The difference doesn’t end with swapped roles. Valentine’s Day in Japan is a Day of Love There’s a lot to explain, but we’ll try to go through everything you need to know about the sweet culture (no pun intended) and chocolates behind Valentine’s Day in Japan.
Popular White Day gifts include chocolate, cookies and pieces of jewelry. Exactly one month later, on March 14, they will have to return back the favor to the women with gifts, chocolates and dates - expected to be fancier and more expensive than before. That doesn’t mean men can sit back and enjoy the sentiment, though. It’s a strong tradition that dates back to the 1950s. That’s right - in Japan, Valentine’s Day is all about women giving chocolate to men.
While you’ll find men getting agitated over dinner reservations, rose bouquets and chocolate-champagne pairing in countries like the United States, you’ll find the role reversed to women in Japan. Unlike most areas around the globe, Valentine’s Day in Japan is done a bit differently - or, shall we say, oppositely.
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