Today, it is the day of Valentin day.
In Japanese culture, people recognize this day as the day woman give a chocolate
to man. Usually woman give "a chocolate", not cookie, cake or anything else.
If you are man and get a chocolate from woman, you should give a chocolate
on 14 March. We call the day "White day". It is the day man give the chocolate
to the woman who gave Valentin chocolate.
Japanese people know this kind of custom came from European culture.
But Japanese people may not know this custom is modified so that Japanese people
accept. As I wrote on this blog, Japan has the culture of exchange the gift between
people. You can explain "White day" reflects the Japanese culture.
But I have heard that this White day is made by the chocolate company for
commercial reason. I think someone focused on the cultural point and conducted a lot of
campaign.
Anyway, there is a word "Giri choco"
It means, a chocolate given with the thought of duty. (I don't know good translation.)
Giri is sometimes translated "obligation". But I don't know the one word "obligation"
is appropriate word for translation. I don't know the sense of obligation for the other culture
is exactly same as the sense of obligation of Japanese people.
This "Giri choco" is typical of Japanese culture. So, it is hard to explain in English.
Japanese woman sometimes give chocolates for men although she does not love him.
Just because she meets in the class or work place everyday. She would not give
that chocolate to a man she hates. Some woman may give such chocolate with sympathy for
the man. But when you give Giri choco, you don't have to give great chocolate.
You should give a tiny chocolate to him. Otherwise, the man may misunderstand that
you love the man. Or you can say "Korewa giri choko desukedo...(This is giri choco...)"
when you pass the chocolate not to cause misunderstanding.
When I was in elementary school, some girl brought chocolates to the school in order to
give it to man. One day, I walked with my friend. Suddenly two girl approached us.
The two girls gave a chocolate to only my friend!! ^ ^ ; I was so shocked by this experience.
So, I still remember this memory.
Anyway, everyone would have some bitter experiences in his childhood.
9 comments:
Woah... How mean... ^^; I can imagine you were shocked about the 2 girls ^^;
Anyway I like the tradition of Valentine's Day. I also like the tradition of "White Day" ^_^
It reminds us to be nice to people we like. (Sad enough to have to be reminded, though... ^^;)
hahaha...^^;
It was my bitter experience.
This was very insightful! Thank you so much for sharing. So I was wondering... what would it mean if a Man sent gifts for White Day but didn't receive anything for Valentine's day?
Usually, a man doesn't give a chocolate to woman if he doesn't get from a woman. Only when he got a chocolate on Valentine's day, he prepare the chocolate for thanksgiving. But some men don't prepare for chocolate because they are lazy.^^;
Thanks for sharing!
Those girls were mean ><
BTW I want to ask you something about the other choco (not the giri choco)...
What if the case is a woman wants to give a man a chocolate (not a giri choco), but she can't give the choco on time because she's working overseas?
But she already told the man that she will give him the choco when they meet several months later.
1. Does this mean the man knows that the woman likes him?
2. Is it okay to give the choco, even if it's really late?
To FermeldaL
Thanks for leaving your comment.
1 I think he knows that.
If the woman don't like him, she would
not do that.
2 I think so. But she should explain
the choco is the present of the
Valentein day. And, if it's just a
giri choco, she should explain that.
I guess he would misunderstand she
loves him. Because woman usually
would not give a choco to man if it's
late. He would take it special
meaning.
Thank you very much for answering my question!
The woman didn't say that it's a "giri choco", because she didn't know that there is a "giri choco" in Japan... And her choco is not a giri choco.
She said, "I will give you the choco, even if it will be several months late Valentine's choco.."
The man knows that the woman didn't know about "giri choco", and then he replied "I will wait for your choco."
So.. maybe the man knows that it's not a giri choco and the woman likes her..
Hm, I might be going against the main stream here, but I dislike valentine's day :(
This whole exchange of chocolade thing is too "political" for me. Who is liked and who is just pittied; what does a man do if he gets or if he does not get choco, what if he likes her, what if he does not like her ... too many things left hanging in the air. Too many things that can be misunderstood. To me this is too much toying with emotions.
Now I come from a culture that is extremely direct (I am from Bulgaria) and we are all out there - If you like somebody you should not wait for a particular day in February to tell them that - no matter woman or man.
Again: I love reading your blog - every time I am stunned from the cultural differences. Amazing!
Thank you for sharing this one :)
To Shantal ForSD
I think people in Latin America may be more direct.And I guess there are many cultures in which people communicate directly.
Of course Japanese people don't wait for the moment he or she shows his or her feeling to the person until Valentein day.
But I guess Japanese people take a lot of time to decide to tell their feeling to someone compared to your culture.
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