How do women in Japan express themselves to the men in their
lives on Valentine’s Day?
If a woman really likes a man, she’ll buy him expensive chocolate-shaped
golf balls, computers or cars, or chocolates filled with whiskey,
but if she just feels obligated to give him something, she’ll
buy him a cheap chocolate bar.
Giving "giri-choco" or "obligation chocolate"
is a big part of Japanese Valentine’s Day customs, says Millie
Creighton. The UBC professor of Anthropology studies how the
Japanese observe holidays they have adopted from the West.
Whatever their feelings, Japanese women will express themselves
via chocolate this Friday, Creighton says, because that is
what Valentine’s Day in Japan is all about: women giving chocolates
to men.
It’s a twist that offers insight into gender relations in
Japan, Creighton says. But it didn’t exactly start out that
way.
Creighton’s research shows that Valentine’s Day was first
brought to Japan from Europe in the 1950s by an executive
of a Japanese chocolate company. Japanese Department stores
picked up on the holiday as a way to stimulate the post-war
economy.
The idea of women giving chocolate exclusively to men was
the result of a translation error made by the chocolate company
executive who mistakenly got the impression that, in Europe,
the giving was all one way.
At a time when Japan was hungry for Western items and eager
to copy from the West, the holiday was touted as an occasion
for women to express their individuality. This included giving
chocolates to men they were sweet on. And what better symbol
of romantic love than chocolate, a Western treat.
Over the years, however, the holiday has become increasingly
stylized, often with explicit behavioral expectations and
gift-giving etiquette. Those original expressions of individualism
have been largely replaced by the introduction of "giri-choco".
Today, Valentine’s Day in Japan resembles many of the country’s
older indigenous celebrations, Creighton says. Neighbourhood
streets are transformed into colourful "chocolate markets"
and the day is full of obligations, with many women buying
chocolate for every man in their social circle. Valentine’s
Day is still a day of expressing affection, Creighton adds,
but instead of symbolizing individuality, it has come full
circle to support very traditional gender roles.
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