Valentine’s Day is widely celebrated as the day of love and romance, but Japan seems to have a different tradition on this day than the rest of the world. It is a custom for ladies to give handmade sweets or chocolates to the person they have their eye on. After a month, a Japanese romantic holiday known as White Day, is celebrated and men are obliged to return the favor to their ladies.
Because of this, February 14 has been a festive occasion not only for lovers but also for all the chocolate makers in Japan.
However, chocolates are not considered equal. They have an explicit significance depending on the relationship you have with the person. Here are the different types of chocolate given on Valentine’s Day, and their significance.
Honmei Chocolate
Honmei chocolate is the one reserved to the person they love or someone whom ladies have romantic feelings for. If you like someone, you can give this to them and confess your feelings. This chocolate is usually more aesthetically appealing, high quality and of course, expensive.
Because it is given to a person whom ladies want to shower affection with in the form of chocolate, most ladies choose to make the chocolate themselves to show how valuable this person is in their lives.
Who says chocolates are just for your loved ones? In Japan, aside from the honmei chocolate, other men in a lady’s life are also supposed to receive chocolates. Ladies are supposed to give all men chocolate on Valentine’s Day. Giri chocolate, known as the “obligation chocolate” is given as an obligatory gift to someone, usually male friends, classmates, co-workers, bosses, supervisors, teachers, or basically anyone whom they are not romantically involved with.
This chocolate has no meaning behind it. Ladies usually bring these chocolates in a box to the office and pass them around.
Cho-Giri Chocolate
Everybody deserves to be given some chocolate. Cho-Giri choco is just like Giri chocolate, only given more emphasis on “obligatory” aspect. This kind of chocolate is given to someone you don’t necessarily know, like, or want to give chocolate to.
Tomo Chocolate
You should also make chocolates for your friends. Tomo choco means “friend chocolates,” given by ladies to their female friends. Japanese ladies get together, make their chocolates together and give each other a tomo chocolate. This kind of chocolate is usually fancy, decorative and expensive.
Jibun Chocolate
It’s time for yourselves, ladies! Jibun Choco is the chocolate you can buy and enjoy for yourself. This chocolate is actually the most important to many ladies, and even men on Valentine’s Day. Even you get busy making and buy Valentine’s day gifts for everyone you care about this year, don’t forget to spoil yourself a little or a lot!
Gyaku Chocolate
It’s your turn, gentlemen. Gyaku chocolate means “reverse chocolate”. This chocolate is given by a man to a lady. Since it’s not a tradition in Japan for men to give ladies some chocolate on Valentine’s Day, this chocolate is given on Japan’s complimentary holiday to Valentine’s Day, which is on White Day.
Now that you know the different types of chocolates given on Valentines Day, you now know what chocolate to give on every person you love and care about.
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