On Valentine’s Day, girls give chocolates to guys in Japan. Noone says Happy Valentine’s Day to each other. Except maybe stores that sell candy. Women force candy upon their men of interests. However, if you’re in America or elsewhere in the western world, and want to wish a girl “Happy Valentine’s Day,” this will work just fine. 2. White Day in Japan (March 14th) Now, if you were thinking, “that’s a little unfair that the guys get all the gifts!” – don’t worry, because just a month later, on March 14th is when men are supposed to reciprocate all the love they received on Valentine’s Day. Japan also observes a unique reciprocal holiday on March 14th, known as White Day, where men return the favour to those who gifted them chocolates on Valentine’s Day. This was created by the confectionery industry in the late 1970s and has since become a firmly established part of our Valentine’s Day cycle. In this article, we will explore the different ways to say “Happy Valentine’s Day” in Japanese, as well as some interesting facts and cultural practices surrounding this holiday. The History of Valentine’s Day in Japan. Valentine’s Day was first introduced to Japan in the late 19th century by Christian missionaries. Learn how Valentine's Day is celebrated in Japan, where women give chocolate to men, and White Day is a reply day for men to return the favor. Discover the different types of chocolate, the history, and the culture behind these days. Your first sentence, ハッピーバレンタインデー isn't Japanese: it's just the English "Happy Valentine Day" written in katakana. However, even if it's English, a phrase like that will be used in Japan quite commonly. (Note that in Japanese it's Valentine Day, not Valentine's Day, but that's the only real difference.) Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14th, while White Day in Japan is celebrated a month later, on March 14th. White Day was not actually established until the 1980s , when the Japanese National Confectionery Industry Association successfully campaigned to implement a ‘reply day’ for men to reciprocate the presents they received Unique Traditions of Valentine’s Day in Japan . As much as the history of Valentine’s Day is interesting, there is some surprising tradition on this day. Let’s take a look at how actually Japanese celebrate Valentine’s Day! Girls Give Chocolate to Boys. In Western culture, it is common for boys to give gifts to girls. ホワイトデー howaito de- – White Day (revenge for the ladies) Valentine’s Day is a little different in Japan than elsewhere. Most noticeably only women give chocolate or candy to men. But White Day evens out things. A month after today (March 14th), men give women chocolates and gifts. Useful words: Learn the word for "Valentine's day" and other related vocabulary in Japanese so that you can talk about Festivals with confidence. / / / In most places celebrating Valentine’s Day, women can expect chocolates, flowers and a romantic dinner from their partner. However, in Japan, it’s the opposite: women give chocolates to the men in their lives—from their boyfriends to their coworkers—although not all chocolates are equal. The special men in their lives receive honmei choco, “true feeling” chocolates, while In Japan, it is only the women who give presents (mainly chocolates) to men on Valentine's Day. Learn more about how the Japanese celebrate the day of love. Valentine’s Day was initially brought to Japan in the 1930s when a confectioner, Morozoff, placed an ad that targeted foreign residents of Japan. Other companies would attempt to ignite the Valentine’s Day flame in Japan, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that it found its place. Valentine’s Day in Japan has a unique history and customs that many foreigners find interesting. According to the Japan Chocolate & Cocoa Association, this custom started in the 1950s. A chocolate company put up a handwritten “Valentine’s Sale” sign at Isetan department store in Shinjuku. There are several theories over the origin of Valentine’s Day in Japan, but it is widely believed to have arrived in Japan in the 1930’s. Morozoff, a famous Japanese confectionery company , started as a small chocolate shop in 1931 when it began a marketing campaign to encourage people to buy and send chocolates to loved ones on February 14th. Valentine’s Day is known as the day when one expresses their love to that one special person. In Western countries it is common for both men and women to participate in a gift exchange. Often, the approaching date of February 14th causes men across the world to scramble, trying to pick out a gift, or plan the perfect date. However, in Japan, Valentine’s Day plays out a bit differently Valentine’s Day is celebrated worldwide on February 14. Like many Western holidays, Valentine's Day was also brought to Japan during the second half of the twentieth century. But Japanese people twisted this tradition to add another custom. As a matter of fact, Valentine's Day in Japan takes place in two steps: But this doesn’t happen in Japan, since these things are done on December 24, the most romantic day of the year for the Japanese. Valentine’s Day in Japan is almost only and exclusively about chocolate. They could perfectly call it “Chocolate Day”. Japanese chocolate companies make at least half of their annual sales during this time of The Evolution of Valentine’s Day in Japan. The earliest instance of Valentine’s Day in Japan came in 1935, when chocolate brand Morozoff, run by a Russian national out of Kobe, consciously decided to introduce the custom to the country. Morozoff began selling chocolate packaged in heart-shaped boxes, marketing them as sweethearts, “to New Year’s Day is followed by Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter — a celebration for every month, but there weren’t any holidays in Japan then. So Japanese manufacturers saw one thing: an opening, a gap — and business potential.
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