Love is such a unique feeling, and Japanese people celebrate it in their own way. Although in most places, Valentine’s Day is recognized as the ”official” love day, different cultures rely on different celebration methods. In Japan, they celebrate this special day in their traditional, yet curious way. Here is what we know about how Japanese people celebrate Valentine’s day!
Women MakeThe First Move
Yes, you read that right. In Japan, women are the one to make the first move on the men they love. In fact, the tradition says that the roles are reversed, and women gift chocolate to the men in their lives.
On February 14th in Japan, and instead of gifting jewelry, flowers or expensive treats, women offer chocolate and candy as presents. The interesting part though, and unlike other parts of the world, it almost seems that Japanese people celebrate Valentine’s Day in a one-sided manner.
Men Take One Month To Respond
Actually, men take one month to return the gift to their women. On March 14th, men bear gifts to their loved ones. The White Day is generally known as the day men return their heart-felt sentiments to the girls they are interested in. Although the gifts can be other than chocolate, there is an unspoken pressure of gifting the same present to the women. Literally, it takes men one whole month to pick the right gift, and choose who they gift it to.
Different Types of Chocolate Are a Must
There is something undeniably sweet about expressing your love on this special day. In Japan, it’s a big celebration, even for single people. In fact, as love has different ways of manifesting itself, the Japanese can gift all the men they consider important in their lives. However, not all men get the same type of chocolate.
Moreover, girls pick a specific honmei-chocolates for the men they are romantically interested in. Other types of candy and sweets can be offered to coworkers, family members and friends. However, one should be quite careful of which type of chocolate they choose, since on March 14th, they will know the response of those men.
Photos: Pixabay.