Valentine's Day in Japan

Image from tastymiso.com

For those of us with a cynical streak or, dare I say it, a bitter taste when it comes to all things lovey dovey, Valentine’s day often feels a bit of a drag. Well, at least you (probably) don’t live in Japan, where everything is bigger, brighter and more extravagant. From a country that brings you panty vending machines and computer generated Pop idols, it goes without saying that Japanese corporations will use any excuse to sell sell sell!

The Japanese are as influenced by the West as we are by the East, so you can often see Western traditions and holidays trickling into their culture. Naturally good businessmen, Japanese companies and brands have altered and adapted any Western holiday that has made its way over. Valentine’s Day is possibly one of the best examples.

In 1936, the Japanese confectionary and cake company Morozoff Ltd ran an advertisement aimed at foreigners living in Japan, encouraging them to buy products for the 14^th February. Later in 1953 it began to promote heart-shaped chocolates, which served as a eureka moment for the company’s competitors.

The Western tradition, however, was slightly lost in translation. Instead of Valentine’s Day serving as a day for both parties in a relationship to buy each other cards, chocolate or flowers, in Japan it is all down to the ladies. It is said that a typo in one of the chocolate adverts led to the custom that only women give chocolates to men on Valentine’s Day (don’t fret, the men do have their chance, as I’ll explain later!).

Image from sakura-zen.blogspot.com

Deeply ingrained in Japanese culture is the obligation to thank others who have done them a favour, which is where the concept of “Giri-choco” (obligatory chocolate) stems from. It became common practice for women to give all the men in their lives Giri chocolate, including co-workers, friends and bosses. The poor fella that doesn’t receive any chocolate feels embarrassed, so there are even cheaper chocolates for the co-worker that nobody likes – “chō-giri choko” (ultra-obligatory chocolates)!

Chocs for that special man is a whole other board game, and needs to be a whole step up from the cheaper Giri-choco. These are called “Honmei-choco” (favourite chocolate) and are either more expensive or prepared by hand by the lady, so he better bloody well appreciate it. More recently, many young Japanese women have begun exchanging chocolate with their female friends on Valentine’s Day, known as “tomo-choco” (friend chocolate). Needless to say, that’s a hell of a lot of chocolate.

Thanks to another set of clever marketing gurus, a month later on the 14^th March, men are expected to shower their ladies with gifts at least two or three times more valuable than what they received. In the 1980s the Japanese National Confectionary Industry Association launched a “reply day”, which became known as “White Day”, after the colour of the chocolates given. No matter what the excuse, if a man doesn’t return a gift then he is perceived as placing himself in a position of superiority, while returning a present of equal value equates to one of those “I think we should go on a break” text messages.

You would think that this intense amount of spending over a space of 2 months would be enough for the Japanese corporations; after all they do make half their annual earnings during this time. But no, never ones for being subtle, the brands have err... almost got it correct in Western terms, by encouraging men to buy women chocolate on Valentine’s day also. A survey by confectioner Morinaga, which is probably just a little bit forced, shows that 90.8% of Japanese women would also like to receive a gift on the 14^th Feb.

So what do they do? Reverse chocolate of course! Never ones for subtleties, the confectionary companies have started producing chocolate in packaging featuring backwards text. The cherry on the cake: the slogan reads “This year, give in reverse”. 

The kimono

Kimono literally means “the thing to wear” (ki “wear” and mono “thing”), which was first used in everyday language in the mid-19^th century. Prior to this, the traditional garment was only known as a kosode, meaning ‘small sleeve’. Kimono are straight-seamed robes that are wrapped around the body, left side over right, and secured with a sash known as an obi, which is tied at the back. Generally worn to the ankle, the length of the garment can be altered by drawing material up underneath the obi. The wrap style and loose fabric has been developed to cohere to the culture’s lifestyle and climate; many activities are performed while seated on the floor.

The style of traditional kimono also varies between women, men and children, and also indicates whether the female wearer is married. Young women’s kimonos, known as a furisode, have longer sleeves and tend to be more elaborate than the older, married woman’s garment. It is said that the traditional reason for the sleeves is that when replying to a man, she waves the sleeves back and forth for ‘yes’, and left to right for ‘no’.

The pattern of the kimono rather than the cut of the fabric acts as an indicator of social status; the more extravagant the pattern, the wealthier the wearer. Formality is also determined by accessories, the fabric and the number of family crests (kamon) adorning the garment. Silk was the most desirable of fabrics, with only the most privileged able to wear such luxury regularly. The majority of Japanese society would only have the chance to wear silk kimono on special occasions, sometimes being forbidden to do so all together.

Today, it is mostly women that continue to wear kimono, and usually only on special occasions. During the late 19^th century, traditional garments were gradually replaced by more convenient Western clothing and Yukata, a casual, thin style of kimono. The decline in the heavier garments seemed to happen as Eastern culture filtered through to the West, and vice versa. One slightly morbid urban myth suggests that the decline in kimono was encouraged by the 1932 fire at Shirokiya’s Nihonbashi store. Women did not tend to wear underwear under their kimono, and several women were said to refuse to jump into the safety nets for fear of exposing themselves!

The wrap style of the kimono has become an integral part of international fashion, influential throughout the West. From the Victorian period onward, Europe had a fascination with the exotic East, with stars such as Anna May Wong gracing the silver screen. To Western women the kimono seemed an ideal new garment that allowed freedom of movement, contrasting with the corseted, petticoat-clad style of the period. American interest in the kimono diminished in the tense years prior to WW2, however, souvenir kimono from returning GI’s rekindled the interest. During the 1950s, kimono and kimon-inspired gowns were popular, both as loungewear and daily wear.

If you want to grab one of these gorgeous vintage kimono for yourself, make sure you visit our boutique in Brick Lane. We currently have a selection of one-of-a-kind silk kimono starting at £150; one of which you can see modelled by the gorgeous Miss Betsy Rose above and below!