Seasonal AttractionsTokyo

How “Japanese” St. Valentine’s Day Started (Second Half)

Outline of Part 1: St. Valentine’s Day was accepted as “the day girls confess love to a boy with chocolates” by Japanese people and became popular. Girls were excited to give some chocolates to a boy they loved, and boys were also excited to wonder if they can get some chocolates from girls. However, this is not seen so often today. What happened about that?



Manga & anime style beginning. Do you remember the story? Are you ready?
OK, let’s go.

In 1990s, Japanese Valentine’s Day started to change. It became less popular as “love-confessing day”.

I think there are some reasons, and I believe that most Japanese people agree with them.

First, “the day girls confess love to boys with chocolates” is too stiff for today’s people. Don’t you think so? People don’t want to be so nervous when they have a romance. And they have too many chances to become a couple except Valentine’s Day.

Second, people realized the fact that Japanese Valentine’s Day is just a business of the Japanese confectionery industry who wanted to promote their products. No one wants to be controlled by someone else!

The last reason is serious. In office, women workers used to give “non-love chocolates” to their man fellow workers on Japanese Valentine’s Day. It is very STRESSFUL to be pressured that they must give/be given chocolates.
(It can be even more serious matters such as sexual harassment, but I don’t mention it in this post.)

Then, Valentine’s Day was changed by people. People got tired and bored.
For some girls, it is the day when they try cooking sweets to have a fun and give them to their friends, not boyfriend. For some workers, the day they reward themselves for their daily hard work with buying and eating luxury chocolates. For some gourmet people, the day to taste famous chocolatiers’ chocolates.

It’s a new business for old department stores to invite famous chocolatiers from Europe and other foreign countries, but as far as I see it, it is not as successful as ever. I don’t know who will navigate Japanese Valentine’s Day next.

…Where is Japanese Valentine’s Day going?
Nobody knows.

The only fact is that chocolates taste great for me.
With looking on struggling people with a wry smile, I’ll try some amazing chocolates. Chocolates are arts. I respect all artists.

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