loveanddating
If you’ve used dating apps in Japan, you might be familiar with a few frequent scenarios after making a connection. Messages slowly go from quick replies to just “read.” Or you open the app and find you’ve been unmatched without much reason. If you do score a date, you might find they schedule it months in advance, only to cancel the day before. While “ghosting” is not a Japan-only move, you’ll hear it brought up a lot by foreigners. After a few times, you might be unsure of exactly what you’re dealing with—pandemic or not—you can’t be that unlucky. Right? Is Valentine’s Day (and White Day) re...
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Living in Japan, you soon notice that Japanese Christmas differs from its Western equivalent. From eating Christmas cakes that are made with whipped cream and strawberries galore to enjoying a romantic date instead of visiting your family at Yule time, Christmas in Japan remains fascinatingly different. Nowhere is this difference clearer than in how Christmas has been incorporated into the Japanese language. As Japanese Christmas is unique, it has created new words associated with the season that illustrate how the holiday has become part of the culture. 1. Wine for the whole familyWhen you ra...
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Based on the American reality dating show of the same name, Love is Blind: Japan brands itself as a social experiment to see whether romance can bloom without laying your eyes on your partner. Men and women go on “dates” in the show without ever seeing their partners. Instead, they can only hear each other’s voices. Then they go on vacation, live together and ultimately decide whether to have a wedding. Of course, it’s all played up for dramatic effect. There aren’t any trips to the ward office, but impending matrimony’s ticking clock makes the participants think seriously about what they want...
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Once again, Valentine’s Day comes bounding around the corner like a lovesick puppy. But if your illness has nothing to do with romance or your purse strings are a little too tight, then you may find yourself locked up inside on the most romantic day of the year. You’ve bought the gift and been for a thousand socially distanced walks, but you’re still not “feeling it.” Where’s the spark? You might find it on this list. Experiment with Japanese recipesTie up each other’s matching aprons, whack out the brand-new electronic appliances and get down and dirty…with flour. It’s time to brush off that ...
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In most places celebrating Valentine’s Day, women can expect chocolates, flowers and a romantic dinner from their partner. However, in Japan, it’s the opposite: women give chocolates to the men in their lives—from their boyfriends to their coworkers—although not all chocolates are equal. The special men in their lives receive honmei choco, “true feeling” chocolates, while Taro from accounting only receives giri choco, or “obligatory chocolates.” Guys stuck in the friend zone and even lady pals can also receive tomo-choco, or “friend chocolate.” It isn’t entirely one-sided. In March, the tables...
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In Japan, businesses value customer feedback so much that stores, supermarkets, museums and aquariums typically have a box asking for customer feedback. There has been a trend lately to turn these suggestion boxes into a sort of therapy box. The Kyoto Aquarium in Umekoji Park created a special feedback box for patrons to share their problems and worries, such as romance, anonymously. The aquarium staff then reply. However, the advice you may get is not always constructive, as a 16-year old high school student learned after sharing his blues over not meeting a girl. Fools fall in love男子高校生なので出会...
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New relationships always come with their share of surprises—some a lot more exciting than others. Yes. I am talking about doing the deed. The horizontal tango, hanky panky or whatever you like to call it. First times are usually exciting, but often nerve-racking. You might be wondering if your experience will differ from the usual and if language barriers will put a damper on the mood. What can you expect when you want to get frisky with your new Japanese partner? Thankfully, the bedroom is often an area where the language of love is mostly spoken through gestures rather than words. Even if yo...
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Dating apps have done well in Japan, where even the government is looking into some AI magic to boost its birth rate. Nowadays, singles, young and old (and free spirits), have all dipped their fingers into the world of online dating. But not all dates are worth the time or energy. Some may even be creepy enough that you’ll want to delete your app asap. Akari (@akarirenai77) is a university student who tweeted about her experience with finding a boyfriend after matching with 200 men through dating apps. In a recent tweet, she shared the four worst guys she unfortunately encountered on her journ...
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It’s the season of romance in Japan. However, while men are typically expected to shower women with gifts and affection in the western world on Valentine’s Day, the roles are reversed in Japan. It’s White Day, on Mar. 14, when men return the favor. It’s customary for Japanese women to profess their love through honmei choco, ornate handmade chocolates or expensive boxes of sweets. Women will also, sometimes begrudgingly, gift male coworkers with mini boxes of giri choco, or obligatory chocolates. When it comes to compliments, you’re treading on dangerous territory with kawaii. On White Day, me...
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In contrast to the West, Valentine’s Day is when women in Japan buy or make chocolate for the men in social circles. There are even different levels of chocolate: Honmei choco: “true feeling” chocolates for boyfriends and husbandsGiri choco: “obligatory chocolates” for coworkersTomo-choco: “friend chocolate” for friends (girls included)Whether for your significant other or your best friend, celebrate the day of love with some dreamy chocolate recipes brought to us by Japanese Twitter. And if you don’t like chocolate, check out these weird Japanese Valentine’s gifts. Microwaved gateau chocolate...
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