Valentine's Day in Japan is a happy day for all chocolate shops and chocolate lovers.
Women and girls here are supposed to give chocolates to the men in their lives....husbands, boyfriends, crushes and even just friends. These chocs are called "honmei choco".
The bosses in companies also get a lot of chocolates from their workers, called the "giri choco" - given out of obligation. Women also give chocolates to their women friends, called "tomo choco" - tomo is short for tomodachi (friend).
They say this Valentine tradition started many years ago as a marketing strategy of a chocolate company. It was so succesful that it became a yearly tradition all over Japan.
Chocolate shops make a 'killing' during V-Day! In just a week, the sales that they get during Valentine season is enough to cover profit for the whole year, these companies and shops reported.
These days, many ladies and girls are getting money-wise, so they give home-made chocs to their friends and loved ones.
Personally, as a choco lover, I enjoy this day for the reason that I get many 'tomo chocs' from lady friends.
This year, these were what I got from a good friend at church.
About five years ago, I remember a very snowy V-Day (heavy sleet showers actually , as our area doesn't get that much snow like Hokkaido :)) ...with a lavish Japanese lunch treat from my Nihongo tutor then, and a box of chocolates from her after. That was to be my despidida from her for I returned to the Philippines a month after that. I will always remember that day ....and the chocolates, of course.
No comments:
Post a Comment