Happy Valentine's Day America! Did you know in Japan it's the women who give the men in their lives chocolate? It's a unique tradition in Japan and one theory credits Sony founder Akio Morita, who got the idea of promoting chocolate sales through the company's Sony Plaza shops back in 1968. The event received much more attention from women than from men, and this is believed to have started the trend of females giving chocolate to males instead of the other way around. While the two main types of chocolate a man can receive are 本命チョコ honmei choco or "true heart chocolate" (from someone who really cares for you) and 義理チョコ giri choco or "obligation chocolate" (say, a female office worker who feels obligated to give chocolate to her male co-workers), there are other variations too, like the recent trend of 友チョコ tomo choco or chocolates exchanged between friends. The giving and receiving of gifts is always a formal deal in Japan, and men who receive chocolate must give a return gift of some kind on March 14, known as White Day.
To all the people alone today, don't think you're the only person not w/a date or anything; there was a tumble post that said smth along the lines of 'reblog if you're alone this valentines' and it had over 500k notes c;
I learned something. I like learning things. Also, Happy Valentine's Day / Single's Awareness Day! Enjoy your dates with flowers and movies, or spa days and messages (the traditional single's awareness day celebrations). And may the chocolate be with you all.
