Searching for sweet nothings

Women hunt for Valentine's Day gifts on February 14 at a department store in Ginza.

A chocolate Eiffel tower in a department store display window in Ginza

Valentine’s Day has long been an oft-reported institution in Japan. For February 14, a girl can now choose to give giri-choco (obligatory chocolates, usually inexpensive and given to male coworkers), honmei-choco (sweetheart chocolates, often homemade and given to the man she likes), tomo-choco (chocolates for friends, often either designer or homemade), and finally jibun-choco (chocolate for yourself, usually expensive).