A gentle reexamination of Valentine's Day and the culture of obligatory chocolate
A gentle reexamination of Valentine's Day and the culture of obligatory chocolate
The "temperature of the relationship" behind sweetness
Every year, when the smell of chocolate begins to fill the city, there is a scene that I remember.
A small package quietly placed on my desk at work.
The short message read, "Thank you for everything."
It's not a confession of love, and it doesn't have any special meaning.
However, there is certainly a "warmth between people" there.
Valentine's Day in Japan has a unique culture.
"Obligatory chocolate" is a unique custom around the world.
The word "giri" has a somewhat stiff and distant ring to it.
But the reality is something softer, more everyday, and more human.
What is obligatory chocolate?
"You and I spend our days together"
"I want to continue to cherish that relationship."
It's like a quiet message.
Not love, but gratitude.
Not special, but everyday.
It's not a big deal, but it's a small ritual that certainly moves the heart.
WABISUKE places great importance on this sense of "daily ritual."
That's why Valentine's Day is such a special time for us.
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Obligatory chocolate is a "seasonal sign" to improve relationships
The debate over obligatory chocolates recurs almost every year.
"It's a burden," "It should be stopped," "It's too formal."
There are some voices like that.
However, culture is essentially
It cannot be measured by "rationality" alone.
For example, New Year's cards.
For example, mid-year gifts and year-end gifts.
For example, souvenirs.
You won't be in trouble if you don't have any of them.
However, something happens that helps to improve relationships and soften hearts.
Obligatory chocolates are also
"Seasonal Signs for Relationship Realignment"
I think it exists as such.
Time to pick out a little package for someone.
The moment you picture that person's face.
I find myself murmuring to myself, "Thank you for your continued support this year."
All of that,
It quietly warms our relationships every day.
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The clasp purse is a symbol of a "vessel for receiving"
WABISUKE's coin purses are more than just wallets.
It is a small vessel that gently receives the warmth of your heart.
A man who received obligatory chocolate,
The culture of giving a clasp purse on White Day
It is naturally rooted in WABISUKE.
The clasp is not a tool for returning things,
This is because it is a vessel that gives shape to the feelings received.
The clasp makes a "snap" sound when opened.
The sound is somehow nostalgic and comforting.
It's as if the door to my heart has opened lightly.
When I received obligatory chocolate,
I felt a little embarrassed, but also happy.
Those vague, gentle feelings,
The clasp purse gently catches it.
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Valentine's Day is the beginning of a "story of giving back"
If White Day is the "day to return the favor,"
Valentine's Day is the day the story begins.
The act of receiving obligatory chocolate is
It's actually a very delicate communication.
"I hope you and I will continue to have a good relationship."
"Thank you for the daily interactions."
"I look forward to having a good relationship with you this year too"
That feeling,
It is gently wrapped in a small chocolate.
And the man who received that feeling,
When choosing a clasp for White Day,
The story continues quietly.
The clasp purse is
It is a "gift to be given back" and at the same time,
It is also a tool for connecting relationships to the future.
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A gentle choice to affirm the obligatory chocolate culture
The debate over obligatory chocolate is
Sometimes you are faced with two choices: "Should I quit?" or "Should I continue?"
But culture is freer, more ambiguous, and more human.
What's important is,
"Does the act warm someone's heart?"
If obligatory chocolate is
If it's a burden to someone, there's no need to force yourself to continue.
But if it is,
If you are softening someone's heart,
That culture can continue to live on quietly.
WABISUKE is
We "affirm" the obligatory chocolate culture.
It is not an affirmation of form,
It means affirming the "human feelings" that lie behind it.
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Valentine's Day is a quiet time to reassess your relationship
Valentine's Day is
It's not just a day for lovers.
People at work, family, friends, and yourself.
To gently reexamine various relationships,
It's also a quiet time.
Choosing chocolate for someone.
A small package received from someone.
Each one of them,
It tells us the "temperature of relationships" in our daily lives.
And the man who received the temperature said,
When choosing a clasp for White Day,
The relationship will be restructured in a new way.
Valentine's Day and White Day are
Through the two acts of "giving" and "returning,"
It is a season that gently adjusts the distance between people.
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Conclusion
Between sweetness and tranquility lies the world of WABISUKE
The sweetness of chocolate.
The silence of a purse.
This contrast is the very world that WABISUKE values.
Not flashy, not too assertive,
But it's certainly something that stays in your mind.
The culture of obligatory chocolate
Not just as a formality,
If we look at it as a ritual that balances the temperature between people,
Valentine's Day will be richer and more generous.
And the story goes,
It quietly leads to White Day.
WABISUKE's clasp purse is
In that story,
I hope to be a small vessel that gently nestles next to you.