Valentine ’s Day is coming soon. We do celebrate on this day, but in a bit different way. Unlike western countries, Japanese Valentine’s Day is the one when women give present to men, mainly chocolate. This custom was introduced a noted chocolate company and gradually getting popular thanks to the chocolate industry’s campaign to boost their sales.
Now, it is said that chocolate companies make half their annual sales during this time of the year. This season, variety of chocolate such as fancy, romantic and luxury products are on sale. Interestingly, those chocolates are too special to give someone else, so more women buy the special chocolate for their own instead of giving. Even tea companies take advantage of this day, producing matcha chocolate, hojicha chocolate etc.
Anyway….It seems to be a happy day for men, but you have to remember that Japanese women are demanding. In Japan, there is a “White Day” on March 14, which is considered to be a “reply day”. Men who got present have to return gifts to the women. Originally, it started thanks to successful campain made by the Japanese confectionery industry to return marshmallows to women, but obviously Japanese women are expecting more, ha, ha.
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| a crowd of women get special chocolate for Valentine's Day :a special-evnets space at a department store |
