{"id":2365,"date":"2017-02-14T15:22:22","date_gmt":"2017-02-14T06:22:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/valentine-chocolates-tokyo-2017\/"},"modified":"2025-08-28T11:35:19","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T02:35:19","slug":"valentine-chocolates-tokyo-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/valentine-chocolates-tokyo-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"Sweet on You – Getting Valentine’s Chocolates in Tokyo"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Back home things can get a little crazy around Valentine’s Day. Grandiose\u00a0displays of affection have become something of the norm, as we shower our loved ones with extravagant gifts, often at exorbitant prices, presumably just as the martyred St. Valentine would have wanted.<\/p>\n

In Japan, however, somewhat unusual for a\u00a0nation where they tend to go whole hog when consumerist opportunities arise, Valentine’s Day is a little pared\u00a0back. Rather than string quartets accompanying bouquets of flowers and buckets of diamonds, the Japanese are a little more restrained around this celebration of\u00a0love, and instead go in for the humble chocolate.<\/p>\n

Of course, it’s not like you can just go and pick up a Snickers or a bar of Meiji from the convenience store and pop a bow on it, so if you want to do like the locals do, here is a recommendation for a few chocolatiers and sweet-makers in the city that are on the flashier end of the sugary\u00a0spectrum.<\/p>\n

Salon du Chocolat<\/h2>\n

Tokyo’s version of the famous French chocolate trade store is entering into its 15th year, and will be the first port of call for anyone wishing to find something a little special for this festival of love. With that in mind there will be hordes of people gathered in Maronouchi’s International Forum, but seeing as there will be over 100 stalls from 17 different nations, all stocking rare and hard to find choccies, there is a good chance of picking up something a little bit special. Worth fighting the crowds for.<\/p>\n