Valentine’s Day

It's that time of the year again where, massively pressured by the commercial interests of greeting card, chocolate and flower companies, we are forced to declare or re declare our love for our significant others whether we feel like it or not. Not for me, though. Japan has cunningly changed the supposed tradition. Possibly to maximise profits the idea behind Valentine's Day has been split into a girls' and boys' version, the former on the usual day, the latter a month later, March 14th, which has been dubbed White Day.

So I can sit back and receive chocolates and gifts from all the women in my life, which includes my female colleagues who must treat their much-hated colleagues to what is known as "giri-choco", or obligatory chocolate. They usually don't splash out on this though and a lot of shops offer cheap bags of tiny, low-quality chocolates or candy for exactly this purpose. Also, I found that game companies generally don't really honour this excellent tradition allowing its female staff some respite from the expected behaviour of Japanese society. Either way there are no romantic connotations to giri-choco. It's simply one of those "done things", women give their male colleagues some cheap chocolate on Valentine's day, the end. Don't get any ideas!

Though there is a tradition of guys giving giri-choco on White Day it is generally accepted if you don't. You're a guy, after all. You're too busy or scatterbrained to remember such frivolous stuff. But the girlfriend or wife had better get something!

I don't think these two days are used to declare your intentions to a secret love, though I may be wrong. It's not so much cards as chocolate, candy, cakes and biscuits that get the sales boost around this time of year. All shops jump in on the action with supermarkets offering two for one deals on goods and coffee shops repackaging their regular foods in red, cute wrappings so they can up the price somewhat. Romantic dinners for two can also be on the cards, but like Christmas you can expect prices to be a little iffy and tables to be fully booked. Though this year it's on a Wednesday, so it may not be convenient for everybody.

For me the day has special significance, tough, as it's the last day my monthly train ticket is valid, which means I'll have to shell out another chunk of cash (about US$100 or EUR 80) for a new one. If I buy another month-long card (as opposed to a three or six month one) it means I'll have a handy reminder come White Day that I shouldn't try to come home without some cookies and a bunch of flowers. Hell hath no fury, especially when it comes to Japanese women, I think.