{"id":3938,"date":"2020-01-28T16:23:30","date_gmt":"2020-01-28T07:23:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/valentines-traditions-in-kansai\/"},"modified":"2025-08-28T11:34:40","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T02:34:40","slug":"valentines-traditions-in-kansai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/valentines-traditions-in-kansai\/","title":{"rendered":"Valentine’s Traditions in Kansai"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you have a special \u201cother half\u201d in your life, chances are that you might have Valentine\u2019s Day on your mind pretty soon. Valentine\u2019s Day is done a little differently in Japan but it has become a big occasion over the past half a century or so. If you\u2019re living in the Kansai region and wondering what you can do to treat someone, here are some suggestions.<\/p>\n

Valentine\u2019s in Japan<\/h2>\n

Valentine\u2019s Day is a fairly recent phenomenon in Japan. It is believed to have been introduced in 1950s by the Morozoff<\/a> confectionery company as a way of \u2013 you guessed it \u2013 promoting the sales of chocolates. Interestingly, Japan has traditionally had two Valentine\u2019s Days in a sense. The internationally-recognized 14th of February is a day when women in Japan buy chocolates and gifts not just for romantic partners but also for platonic friends \u2013 including female friends \u2013 as well as work colleagues, bosses and teachers.<\/p>\n

Exactly a month later on the 14th of March, men traditionally repay the favour. Those that received a nice surprise on Valentine\u2019s Day are expected to treat their partners to something equally, or more, special. This day is known as White Day.<\/p>\n

Although these are still Japanese norms, it is becoming more common for people in Japan to follow the western Valentine\u2019s traditions where both sexes honor their partners \u2013 and only their partners \u2013 on the 14th of February, while eschewing White Day altogether.<\/p>\n

Where to Buy Valentine\u2019s Gifts in Kansai<\/h2>\n

Chocolates are the most popular Valentine\u2019s gift across Japan. Traditionally, there are three types of Valentine\u2019s Day chocolate females buy:<\/p>\n

Honmei-Choco <\/strong>\u2013 for romantic partners such as husbands and boyfriends, these are typically quite expensive and beautifully-packaged chocolates, although some may choose to be more personal and make their own chocolate treats<\/p>\n

Giri-choco<\/strong>\u2013 for people known in a professional capacity, such as colleagues or bosses, these are generally much cheaper and bought as a mere token of acknowledgement<\/p>\n

Tomo choco<\/strong> \u2013 known as \u201cfriend chocolate\u201d and bought for platonic male and female friends, this is similarly inexpensive to giri-choco, although if you have a special friend and want to splash out then you will need to make sure that you don\u2019t give off the wrong signals!<\/p>\n

Great places to buy nice chocolate gifts in Kansai include Bel Amer<\/a>, La Maison du Chocolat<\/a> and Mon Loire<\/a>. If you\u2019d prefer to send flowers, you can use providers such as Nippon Florist<\/a>, Flora Japan<\/a> or Bunches Baskets<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Where to Go on a Valentine\u2019s Date<\/h2>\n

The increasing western influence on Japan\u2019s Valentine\u2019s customs has meant that many couples now look to commemorate the occasion with an experience to create memories to treasure. Popular choices are:<\/p>\n