Valentine hearts
Valentine’s day and White day are coming up in February & March.
What’s White Day?
If you’re new to Okinawa or Japan then you will of course heard of Valentine’s day, but what, you may be asking yourself, is White Day?
Traditionally in Japan, Valentine’s day is for women to give gifts to men and White day is when men give gifts to women.
Like most countries though, Valentine’s day has become increasingly commercialised in Japan, and now it’s common for women to be expected to give chocolate to male friends, work colleagues and even female friends in recent years. Like other gift giving times in Japan, chocolate given to friends or work colleagues is usually something of low value, that can easily be reciprocated one month later on White Day by men.
What To Buy
As we mentioned, Valentine’s day is for men in Japan. Chocolate is by far the most common gift. If you’re looking for something special most of the local department stores sell exclusive chocolate sets made by famous chocolatiers or hotels in mainland Japan. If you are feeling truly adventurous then you can grab some cake or chocolate making equipment in most supermarkets and bake the man in your life something special!
When White day come’s around, it’s time for men to reciprocate. If the lady in your life is bored of chocolate then why not visit one of the silver shops in Depot Island, Chatan for some jewelry hand made in Okinawa. Depot Island also has a hand made leather accessories shop and to complete your gift a great wine shop located close to the main entrance.
For the traditional flowers, as it’s not common in Japan to give roses or bouquets for a gift, then we recommend flowerdrop.net that delivers both on and off base and is used to American tastes in flowers.
Where To Go
If you want to take your other half out somewhere special then why not try out these ideas:
On a budget:
Nothing’s more romantic than watching the sun set. If the weather’s good, head out to Cape Zanpa and watch the sun set then enjoy a drink at the Royal Hotel just across the road from the beach. There’s also the Alivila hotel close by with several restaurants & bars and views of the East China Sea.
Splashing out:
Okinawa has no shortage of high end dining experiences for an amazing night out. Why not try Yoshida Asian Fusion, from our December magazine, or alternately the Naha Terrace hotel provides a luxurious dining experience at their restaurant “Fanuan”. For a truly luxurious break you can even stay over! Whatever you do enjoy Valentine’s & White Day!
