Valentine's Day in Japan

[thomas]

Chocolate-odor flower deliveries hit peak

Deliveries of flowers with a fragrance virtually indistinguishable from chocolate hit their peak for the year Tuesday, just three days from Valentine's Day.

Most of the Chocolate Cosmos flowers will be delivered to big cities such as Tokyo and Osaka for Valentine's Day, the single biggest day of the year for chocolate sales in Japan. Although the fragrance of the Chocolate Cosmos comes from its pollen, nobody knows exactly why it smells the way it does. The Chocolate Cosmos is part of the same species of flowers as the chrysanthemum, the floral symbol of Japan's Imperial Family. Chocolate Cosmos sales reach their zenith at Valentine's Day, but they are also popular at weddings.

Unlike most other countries, where Valentine's Day is a time for lovers to exchange gifts, in Japan, the day of love is one where it has become customary for women to present chocolate to men they have affection for. Even those for whom the women have no particular feelings for do not miss out, though. They sometimes receive giri-choco, or duty chocolate, which the women hand over through a sense of duty. Women's rights advocates blast the concept of giri-choco, calling it sexist.

mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20030211p2a00m0fp010000c.html

Btw, in Japan men receive chocolates or other gifts for Valentine's Day, it's their turn to return these favours on White Day (March 14). So gentlemen relax, still another month to go, lol.

More info:

Valentine's Day and White Day in Japan

An article about the way the Japanese observe St. Valentine's day and their unique White Day that relates to it - written by Billy Hammond.

tanutech.com

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[den4]

Women's rights advocates blast the concept of giri-choco, calling it sexist.

So, what do the women's rights groups call the white day giri-choco? Feminist?

The whole marketing scheme for Valentines/white day thing always seemed to me like a big scam by the choco industry and shops....and to see people spending 40,000+yen of their own money for their department always seemed like lacking common sense....

 

[thomas]

In regard to chocolate each day is Valentine's for me, lol.

 

[den4]

Can't wait to see what the next trends created by Japan will be.....choco smelling commercials for the movie theater?

commercials that are inputted into computer games subliminally?

hmm....the computer game scenario wouldn't surprise me....I wonder why it hasn't been done yet...or has it?

 

[thomas]

Once they invent virtual scent, hell will break loose!

Subliminal ads... wasn't there product placement in Duke Nukem and Half Life? [ => the last shooters I indulged in]

 

[deborah gormley]

ahhh!!!! Valentines Day, and what a day it is, chocolates, roses, meals for two(expensive top-class hotels) and if your lucky a trip for two to a romantic location such as "Paris" or "Italy", but how many women actually get these high priced items?? and how many men are willing to pay those rediculous prices?? to me Valentines Day is all about sweet love and appreciation!!! not what will arrive in the post or what surprise is in store for me!! (is it just that I'm married to long?) No!!! I can honestly agree with the youths flirting and impressing their female friends, but you have to draw the line some-where! The only man that ever impressed me on Valentine's day is the man I married a simple and open-hearted approach is what needed, not the "look at what I can offer" or the "guess where we are going", (this happened me only the once but the surprise was not my way and spending time with a man on my own was most definitely not my wish!), all ladies are different and appreciate different things if you know your lady in question then sort out whats important to her and act in an appropriate (spell?)manner. All the best to you young hopefuls

 

[thomas]

Chocolate and Valentine's Day in Japan

Make Valentine's Conversation Hearts at Home

These homemade conversation hearts taste just like the ones you buy at the store but can be customized with whatever drawings or messages you choose.

www.thespruceeats.com

How about a melty kiss? :emoji_grinning:

 

[miyuki]

giri-choco

In our office,one of co-workers suggested for us(women) to give some chocolates to our boss and others(men).We agreed with her.
We bought 8 chocolates and I wrote 8 small cards (korekara mo yoroshiku) for them.

 

[thomas]

Miyuki-san, what will happen on White Day? Are you girls already counting the choco bars you expect to receive?

 

[thomas]

Choco no longer giri... :emoji_wink:

Japanese sour on holiday candy tradition

Nozomi Hashimoto, a 26-year-old insurance worker, used to buy dozens of boxes of giri choco, or obligation chocolates, on Valentine窶冱 Day to distribute to the men in her office. The tradition would set her back US$150 or so, but it was all but obligatory in Japan窶冱 gift-giving culture. Nowadays, she and a few colleagues chip in and buy a single box of chocolates for the office at a fraction of the cost. [...]

As money coursed through the economy during the speculative bubble years of the late 1980s, a feeding frenzy in giri choco ensued as boxes were handed out to teachers, mentors, bosses and friends. Department stores fondly recall the days when young women would depart with as many as 100 boxes each. [...] Growing social stress and changing values also have weakened Japan窶冱 intricate system of gift giving and obligation known as giri, hurting sales of giri chocolate.

=> biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2003/2/16/business/latvalen&sec=business

 

[jeisan]

a little Q&A about valentines day (barentain dei) in japan.
from-hanna Learning Japanese

heres some comics about other parts of daily life in japan:
Learning Japanese