Valentines Day in Japan

All across the world people are celebrating Valentines Day.  It has a different meaning for everyone, every culture and every country.  Then, there's Japan, a country who has adopted an interesting take on Valentines Day, It's a Guy Holiday.  In other words, Guys get all the candy and goodies, women get nothing. 

Before Febuary 14th, women in Japan will buy Giri Choco (obligatory chocolate) for all their male friends and male co-workers.  It's not uncommon in Japan for a woman to buy betwen 20-30 boxes of Giri Choco which costs several hundred yen (a rough estimate 400 Yen=$4.00 US, though it's a bit higher now because the USD isn't worth as much).  They come in cute little boxes and vary;

There is a second kind of chocolate that women in Japan give and that is generally hand-made called honmei choco (Chocolate a woman gives to that special guy or confesses too).  They may also give a special gift in addition to the chocolate. 

However, women are not to be shorted completly.  A month later is White Day.  On White Day men return the favor and give chocolates and gifts to the women who gave them chocolate.  For Giri-Choco it's a social obligation as opposed to being returning feelings (it also costs more for the men to buy chocolate and give gifts back) and sometimes men will give things that are white too (hence white day and it's origin in 1978 with Marshmellows and white chocolate).  However, for Honmei Choco, men will either accept their confession or if they were already dating will give more expensive and special gifts.

Another interesting trivia fact is that Christmas, a mainly religious Holiday here is considered also to be a couples holiday in Japan.  It's also strongly been associated with eating KFC, so if you plan on ordering KFC over christmas in Japan, you'll need to sign up months in advance.