 Chocolates appeared in all shapes and sizes at the recent Salon du Chocolate event held at the Isetan department store in Shinjuku, Tokyo, which is credited with popularizing the Feb. 14 gift-giving tradition in Japan. (Louis Templado)
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 Women enjoy samples at the recent Salon du Chocolat event in Shinjuku, Tokyo. On Valentine's Day in Japan, women are expected to give chocolates to practically all the males they work or study with. (Louis Templado)
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 Valentine's Day accounts for a quarter to a half of all chocolate sales at department stores, and draws dealers from all around the world. These saleswomen are offering chocolates from Abu Dhabi. (Louis Templado)
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 A Tokyo department store is crowded with women on the weekend before Valentine's Day. (Louis Templado)
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 On average, a woman will buy more than 10 boxes of chocolate for Valentine's Day, spending more than 1,200 yen on each. (Louis Templado)
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 Akiko Nakamura buys a can of "obligation chocolate" from a vending machine set up in Shinjuku Station. (Louis Templado)
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 Cheaper Valentine's Day chocolates are also on offer in convenience stores, intended to be given to co-workers and others lower on the gift-giving list. (Louis Templado)
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Love and affection may be fine for some on Valentine's Day, but one man would like to see Japan's women celebrate the holiday with a sense of obligation.
(5/21)
ASAHI WEEKLY
Current terms and glossary in Japanese
