Japanese Valentine’s Day looks familiar at first—but it works very differently from Valentine’s Day in most other countries. On February 14 in Japan, women give chocolate to men. Not flowers. Not cards. And not usually as a couple’s celebration. Most Japanese people do not associate the day with religion or history. Few know who Saint Valentine was, and even fewer think of Valentine’s Day as a Christian holiday. In Japan, it is simply understood as “Valentine’s Day”—a yearly event shaped by chocolate, timing, and shared social expectations. Quick Summary: Japanese Valentine’s Day is a modern cultural custom where women often ...
