Japan//culture: Valentine’s Day

This time last week was Valentine’s day and I always get asked “what are you making/giving Ksk for Valentine’s day? or what are you guy’s doing?” ….Uhh nothing particular.

Personally I don’t celebrate Valentine’s day, never have and I doubt I ever will. Ksk’s not overly bothered by the holiday either. I don’t make Ksk any chocolates because he doesn’t actually like sweets, so it would be totally wasted. I do however buy him some interesting looking chocolate If I find any.

In contrast with Valentine’s day in the west, in Japan it is the day women give chocolates to their boyfriends, husbands, crushes and colleagues.

COLLEAGUES?! Yes, colleagues. If you’re female, work in a Japanese company, you are expected to give giri-choco (courtesy chocolate) to all of your male co-workers.

Can you imagine how expensive that can be? or time consuming if you’re hand making them?

Speaking of handmade chocolates thought, I read an article earlier in the week that said allegedly there was a rise in women putting bodily fluids (ew), hair etc in the vain hopes their crushes will magically fall for them. Um. ok.

This post by Ri talks more about the origins of Japanese Valentine’s tradition. I’m just going to show you some of the interesting looking Valentine’s chocolates I saw in the shop here.

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#culture