Today is Valentine’s Day, a day when males in Japan look forward to receiving chocolate from girlfriends, wives, daughters, etc. There are two kinds of chocolate, of course, honmei choco or chocolate received from someone who really cares for you, and giri choco or “obligation” chocolate, from someone who feels obligated to give you chocolate, such as a female co-workers, students etc. For the past two years, Valentine’s Day has fallen in a weekend, which is the Kiss of Death to a chocolate industry that depends on Japan’s millions of OLs (“office ladies,” e.g. female office workers) to buy chocolate for their bosses and other male co-workers. Since this year February 14th falls on a Monday, the TV news was reporting that sales of chocolates were strong this year, which makes us happy on behalf of Japan’s men. Remember that J-List still has a ton of outstanding Japanese chocolate in stock, although it will be removed from the site as summer nears. So order some now!
We hope you have a warm and delicious Valentine’s Day!