Valentine’s Day is not for Japanese women!

{image via flickr}

{image via flickr}

{image via flickr}

{image via flickr}

{image via flickr}

{image via flickr}

{image via flickr}

{image via http://blogs.japanesepod101.com}

Before I moved to US, I didn't know that Valentine's Day is also for women too.

In the US, Valentine's Day celebrations are generally geared towards couples, with a slight bias towards women when it comes to the marketing of chocolates, flowers and other gifts---a bias that is meant to have women encourage men to buy gifts for them. In Japan, things are a little different. The Japanese celebrate St. Valentine's day in a rather unique fashion---Women give men gifts of chocolate as well as other gifts. The chocolates and other Valentine's Day items are marketed towards women, but they're marketed for them to buy and give to men, rather than the other way around.

From mid January, grocery stores, department stores, and convenience stores start selling many different kinds of domestic and imported chocolate. More than half of the chocolate sold in a year is sold around Valentine's Day in Japan. Women buy chocolate for their co-workers, bosses, male friends, brothers, father, husband, boyfriends, and so on. These gifts of chocolate are divided into two types: giri-choco (義理チョコ, obligatory chocolate) and honmei-choco (本命チョコ, chocolate for the man the woman is serious about). Giri-choco (義理チョコ) is given by women to their superiors at work as well as to other male co-workers. Many men feel embarrassed if they don't receive any chocolate on Valentine's Day. Women usually make sure to give giri-choco to men around them so that they don't feel left out. That's why it is not unusual for a woman to buy 20 to 30 boxes of this type of chocolate for distribution around the office as well as to men that she has regular contact with. The average price range for a giri-choco (義理チョコ) is from 200 yen to 500 yen each.

Women tend to give special gifts, such as neckties and clothes with an expensive box of honmei-choco (本命チョコ) to her special someone. Honmei-choco (本命チョコ) is more expensive than giri-choco and is sometimes homemade. It's considered lucky if a man could receive a honmei-choco (本命チョコ).

While all of this may seem quite one-sided, confectioners in Japan - never ones to miss an opportunity to sell more - took advantage of the Japanese feelings of obligation and created White Day in 1980 to help assuage the guilt feelings of those poor obligated males who received chocolate on Valentine's Day. On March 14th, exactly one month after Valentine's Day, men who were lucky enough to receive gifts of chocolate have the chance to return the favor by giving the women who gave them gifts of chocolate a more expensive box of chocolate or sweets (for some reason, these return gifts seem to be priced slightly higher than those the women purchase). The stores provide plenty of reminders of the approach of this day so that even the most forgetful man cannot say that it slipped his mind. The gifts of chocolate that men buy are in white boxes (after all, it is White Day) and come with separate shopping bags to put them in.

In recent years, many Japanese young women exchange chocolate gifts with their female friends. These chocolates are called tomo choko (友チョコ friend chocolate).

I am glad that I don't have to do this giri-choco (義理チョコ) thing any more. I wasn't good at it and didn't enjoy it at all. Especially I was working for a company with about 100 male co-workers! Imaging that! Of course I didn't buy Giri-choco (義理チョコ) for all of them. In fact, I ususally skipped that day....

Now I just need to get one honmei-choco (本命チョコ) for my lovely husband, and I enjoy it!

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!

QR Code (QRコード)

If you have been to Japan you must have seen this. You can see it everywhere: on the billboards, postcards, posters, print advertises, flyers, bottles, packages...etc. This is called QR Code. The QR is derived from Quick Response, as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed.



The original barcode was invented in America, but the technology was improved in Japan. This QR Barcode was invented in Japan and it's very common in Japan. If you use your Japanese cell phone to scan the code, you can read this code with the camera and access the website without typing the URL manually. Actually, one of the interesting thing I observed is that in Japan, a lot of time, instead of telling you the URL, they either give you this QR Code or tell you how to search it. For example, Japanese Coka-cola advertise, instead of spelling out www.cocacola.co.jp, they would give you the QR code on their priducts or tell you to type in コカコーラ (Coka-cola in Japanese) and search for it. Since I don't have a Japanese cell phone, I can't access the site but search for it.

Pantogar Memo Pad

{image via directdaily.com}

Losing hair gradually is a problem people tend to neglect. A specially designed memo pad is made to engage people with the problem of hair loss. As users tear off memo sheets every day, the illustrated person’s “hair” becomes thinner and thinner, alerting them of possible hair loss. They then remind them to face the problem before it is too late and that Pantogar revitalizer is the best solution.

This memo pad is designed by JWT, Hong Kong. The guy's face looks really sad gives a very strong impact. Would like to see other version if there is any.

Japanese Masking Tape Business Cards

{images via Mint}

{images via Mint}

{images via Mint}

Check out these beautiful business cards by Ellie. These cards are customized with your contact infomation, printed on cover stock, then embellished with my favorite Japanese masking tape and a string around the middle! How simple but pretty! You can purchase some in her shop, Hello Tenfold.


I just recived my shipment of boxful of Japanese masking tapes. Ellie's Business Card inspires me to do some hand stamping (Gocco-ing) + Japanese Masking Tape embellished business cards for myself. Don't know when am I going to do it, but it's on my to do list now.

Above is my favorite set of the tapes. If you want to do some cards for yourself and you need some tapes, you can purchase some here.

Japanese Masking Tapes (マスキングテープ)

I'd been lazy and didn't want to do anyting since the New Year. After 20 days of resting, it's time to come back to reality!

Recently I am very happy to see that everywhere I look I'm seeing Japanese masking tape and more creative uses for it. I know many people had blogged about it but I think it's worth a revisit. Especially now, since it's so easy to find and buy online. Below you'll find a few projects to make with the tape.

{Washi Tape Pendants by craftapalooza}

{Image via MT}

{Image via coco stitch}

{Image via MT}

{Image via MT}

{Image via MT}

{Image via MT}

{Image via MT}

{Masking Tape Christmas Tree by MT}

I myself also have a thing for the beautiful Japanese washi masking tape and won't skip any chance to use it. It's all over Etsy. I also have some available at very reasonable prices. Actually mine is probably the BEST PRICE on Etsy so far. If you are interested, or you know your friends are looking for some, please let them know. You can click here, or just click on my Etsy Store on this blog on your right hand side. Just in case, here it is:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/littlehappythings1
If you want to pay by checks or money orders, you can email me, I will let you know what to do. If you don't see what you are looking for, you can also email me or come back to check again, I will have more available around the middle of February. Let's all have fun with these beautiful Japanese washi masking tapes!

Japanese New Year (お正月)

{鏡餅 kagami-mochi}

{門松 kado-matsu}

{お飾りokazari}

{お飾りokazari}

{ダルマ daruma}

As I’ve mentioned before, Christmas isn’t even a legal holiday in Japan, but New Year (お正月) is the biggest holiday. It can be compared to Christmas in western countries because stores and houses are decorated, families get together for a large traditional dinner, kids get gifts, cards are sent, and many shops are closed for the holiday.Usually, New Year holidays start from December 29th to January 3rd. Although nowadays most stores stay open.

There’s a lot to Japanese New Year (お正月), so I hope I can explain it clearly.

Until about two-hundred years ago, Japan followed the Chinese year with New Year in early Spring, but now follows the western calendar with New Year's Day on January 1st. But the Chinese zodiac is still used with each year being represented by an animal. There are twelve animals. 2010 is the Year Of Tiger .

In December, people start cleaning their houses from top to bottom and they may decorate their houses with traditional Japanese New Year's decorations such as 鏡餅 (kagami-mochi, which is made from two rice cakes (mochi) of different sizes, the smaller placed over the larger one, and a a Japanese type of orange placed on top.), 門松 (kado-matsu), お飾り (okazari), and ダルマ (daruma).

Also in December, people write and send out New Year's Postcards (年賀状), which are kinda similar to Christmas cards in western countries. New Year's Postcards are written by hand on special New Year's postcards that can be purchased from the post office or some other stores. Many people make their own New Year's Postcards---that's one of the reason they invented Print Gocco (プリントゴッコ). If New Year's Postcards are put in the mailbox during dates specified by the post office, they are guaranteed to be delivered on January 1st exactly.

{New Year's Postcards}
Besides, each New Year's Postcards has it’s own serial number printed on the back. In January, the post office announces a series randomly drawn numbers for a New Years Postal Lottery, whoever has a postcard with a winning number can receive a prize which is often something like a paid vacation in Hawaii, a television, a stationary set or stamps. I have never won anything yet. Not even stamps.

On New Year's Eve, people might watch one of the popular music shows on television or they may pay a visit to a temple for the temple priest’s ringing of the temple bell 108 times.

On New Year's Day, firsts are important. The first meal of the New Year should be New Year’s noodles (年越そば), many people watch the year’s first sunrise, the first dream of the year is important, as well as the first calligraphy, first tea ceremony, etc.

{Lucky Money お年玉}

Just like Christmas in the west, families get together on New Year's Day for having a traditional Japanese New Year's dinner called お節料理 (O-sechi-ryouri). Children are given gifts of money お年玉 (O-toshi-dama) in special envelopes. These envelopes are usually decorated with popular cartoon characters, so often when the kids are little, the envelopes are more appealing to them than the money inside!

Finally, on New Year's Day and for a few days following, stores often have big sales, so shopping is popular. Many stores also have Happy Bag or Lucky Bag (福袋). These are bags of various items from the store put inside a sealed bag and sold at a discount price. For example, store may put in $500 worth of products in and sale it for $100! The only catch is---you can’t look inside the bag until you pay for it! The stores tell if whether the items are for men, women or children and what the sizes are if there are clothes inside.

お正月 (New Year) is also one of the two times a year that the public is allowed inside the Imperial Palace grounds to hear the Japanese Emperor’s New Year’s greeting.

So, New Year (お正月) is a very busy time…but it’s also very fun. Hope next year I can go home and have a realy Japanese New Year (お正月) again! I really miss it!

Marry Christmas! (メリークリスマス！)

{Fuji TV Station}

{Yokohama}

{Tokyo Midtown}

Christmas is celebrated in Japan, but not to the extent that it is in western countries. In Japan, New Year (お正月) is the biggest holiday. Actually, Christmas isn’t even a legal holiday in Japan…I mean, it’s a work day, unless it falls on the weekend.

Christmas (クリスマス) in Japan is mainly for couples and families with children. Couples often go on a date, have a romantic dinner, and to look at Xmas illumination (クリスマス・イルミネーション). Actually, Japanese celebrate Christmas because it's a cute and romantic holiday. No religious meaning attached.

Also, most homes in Japan aren’t decorated for Christmas, especially uncommon are Christmas trees. Stores and shopping malls, on the other hand, are very decorated for Christmas from November until Christmas day. After that, the decorations quickly change to the more important New Year's decorations.

Santa Clause will leave presents near the pillows of young children on Christmas Eve. On average, Japanese children receive fewer Christmas presents than children in western countries.

On Christmas Day, it’s popular for families to have a Christmas dinner. But it’s different from Christmas dinners in other countries. When Japanese think of Christmas dinner, most think of Kentucky Fried Chicken and a strawberry shortcake that is called Christmas cake (クリスマス・ケーキ). I love Christmas cake. To me, it's not just for Christmas but my all year round cake!

Wish you all a marry Christmas and a wonderful holiday season!

Chiyogami Tags (千代紙タグ)

My job deals with a lot of paper, so I have a lot of left over papers. No matter what kind of paper, I just can't bring myself to throw these papers away, so I have whole box of them. The other day I picked out all the Chiyogami papers. I looked at these beautiful Japanese papers and decided to turn them into something I have a thing for---tags!

I love these tags and try to use them everywhere I can. I keep a set of these with me for when I buy a bottle of wine on my way to a party; put in an envelope to send a message to a friend; put on a gift bag or a present, use as placement card, or just simply use it as bookmarks. These are also good scrapbooking embellishments. I can never have enough of these on hand!

If you are interested in these tags, you can check here. It's $4.75 for a set of 5 plus shipping.

FYI, some people asked me what's the difference between Yuzen and Chiyogami? What I found is:

Yuzen patterns were originally designed for the textile industry in Kyoto where the production of cloth for kimonos reached its zenith. Yuzen designs were very elaborate, and included a lot of gold.

Chiyogami is a specific word developed to describe the graphic, repetitive designs applied to paper in the Edo period. Originally these patterns were printed by woodblock for use in paper doll and small accessory making. In the twentieth century, these patterns began to be applied using silkscreens and this continues today.

Today, as Yuzen textile patterns join the traditional Chiyogami ones on paper, both terms are used interchangeably.