February 14th is Valentine’s Day.

There are various theories about its origins, but in Japan, Valentine’s Day has developed into a unique tradition.

Right now, you’ve probably noticed that chocolate is prominently displayed everywhere. In Japan, Valentine’s Day is a day when women give chocolate to men they have romantic feelings for.

Most of the time, it’s women giving chocolate to men, and the gift is almost always chocolate.

There are many theories about how this tradition started, but the most widely accepted one is that chocolate companies promoted it as a day for women to confess their love by giving chocolates.

I remember making handmade chocolates and bringing them to school when I was a kid, then confessing to a boy I liked (laughs). Even now, for many boys, February 14th is a nerve-wracking day as they wonder if they’ll receive chocolate from someone (laughs).

Of course, we give chocolates to our grandfathers, fathers, and brothers as well(In the case of family, it’s often the women of the family who give chocolates to the men of the family.), but in Japan, Valentine’s Day is more of a day for couples rather than a family-oriented occasion.

At work, female employees often give chocolates to their male colleagues, even if there’s no romantic connection. These are called 「義理チョコ(giri-choco) (obligation chocolates)」. However, in recent years, many companies have banned this custom, considering it unnecessary.

One of the reasons for this is another unique tradition found mainly in Japan and a few other Asian countries.

On March 14th, Japan celebrates “White Day,” when men return gifts to the women who gave them chocolates. The choice of March 14th has some historical background, but the biggest reason is that confectionery companies held the first White Day event on that date, and it quickly became a widely accepted custom.

As for the name “White Day,” there are various theories. One idea is that it was originally promoted as a day to give marshmallows, which are white.

The decline of giri-choco (obligation chocolates) is closely linked to the expectation of giving return gifts on White Day. Men who receive giri-choco feel pressured to give something back on March 14th. Ideally, both giving chocolate and returning the favor should come from genuine appreciation. However, when it turns into a forced obligation, more people see it as unnecessary. For this reason, an increasing number of companies are moving away from the giri-choco tradition.

On the other hand, new trends like 「友チョコ(tomo-choco) (friend chocolates)」 and 「ご褒美チョコ(gohōbi-choco) (self-reward chocolates)」 have become popular. Somehow, February 14th in Japan has become a day centered around exchanging chocolates, despite having little historical background.

Looking at it this way, the chocolate industry has been incredibly successful in its marketing strategy.