Reversed Roles during Valentine’s Day in Japan
Valentine's Day is ultimately an occasion to celebrate love for your significant other, parents, siblings, children, or even your pets. While Valentine’s Day may seem like a time when florists and flower deliveries get the most number of orders, I am always curious how it is like to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Japan, or more like - how does Japanese celebrate Valentines?
I asked 3 of my Japanese colleagues (all aged between 20 to 30) and compiled their best memories and usual traditions of celebrating Valentine’s Day!
Women (instead of men) bear the pressure of buying gifts
In western countries and Singapore, it is common for couples to do gift exchanges, and even more common for men to splurge on meals and gift flowers or other presents to women. Often, the approaching date of February 14th causes men across the world to scramble, trying to pick out a meaningful gift or plan the perfect date. However, funnily enough, in Japan, the roles are actually reversed! 😱
In Japan, women bear the pressure of buying gifts (mostly chocolates) for the men they fancy. This tradition is usually practiced among teenagers (students in elementary and high schools) or women aged 40s and below! You will also often see mothers or grandmothers gifting chocolates to their sons/grandsons.
In 1 of my colleague’s case, she gave chocolates to her teachers as a form of appreciation for his and her teachings during Valentine’s Day! She also voiced that the most fun part about Valentine’s Day is when all her female friends gather together after they have gift out their chocolates and talks about the reactions of the receivers!
My male colleague has also pointed that when he was younger, he boasted about how many chocolates he had to finish during Valentine’s Day. But the year after, he did not receive any and was so embarrassed about it! He was thankful that his mother then gave him one haha!
Source: Marcus Loke on Unsplash
And because of this tradition of women mustering the courage to confess your love for men through gifting chocolates, many department stores & shops in Japan will hence run "Valentine sales". Their target customers are women, and some stores even sell handmade Chocolate in decorative boxes, which is a very popular gift Japanese women would purchase.
For instance, Shinjuku Marui Honkan, an extremely popular departmental store in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, will be flooded with female customers (as if it wasn't the case on normal days) during valentine's season!
Popular Dating Spots
Source: Colton Jones on Unsplash
Disneylands are a popular dating destination for couples in Japan! I mean if there was a Disneyland in Singapore, it would be my top dating spot for Valentine’s too! Imagine soaking in the dreamy and fantasy castle vibes and ending off the great day with a splendid show of fireworks. Such dates won’t go wrong.
During the winter season (Dec to Feb) in Japan, you will often find many illuminations events and showcases because of Christmas, Japanese New Year as well as Valentine’s. Illuminations in Japan are so beautiful and underrated. In recent years, couples in Japan love taking walks through illumination showcases after a scrumptious Valentine’s dinner.
White Day - 14th March
Source: Süheyl Burak on Unsplash
On March 14th known as White Day in Japan, a month after Valentine’s Day, men who received gifts from women that they fancy would then “return the favor” by gifting them cookies, flowers, and bringing them on dates. Some would also then officially ask the girl to be in a relationship.
It was pretty cute getting to know all the Valentine’s Day traditions and customs in Japan, as well as the interesting stories my colleagues told me. If you love such reads, check out other cultural articles below:
Japanese New Year お正月 and Chinese New Year 新年 - Similarities and Differences
Fun (Fried) Fact About Celebrating Christmas Eve with KFC In Japan
