Sony Electronics  

One of the side benefits of working for Sony all these years is the opportunity to experience a bit of Japanese culture and custom when I travel to that country.  And one of the things that I get a kick out of are Japanese holidays.

Earlier this month I was in Japan for Valentine’s Day, which is on Feb. 14.  Although Valentine’s Day is not an official holiday in Japan, the women there do recognize the day as a time for honoring the men in their lives, including male colleagues, bosses, friends and, yes, even lovers (the more loving, the bigger the gift). So I was flattered when my female colleagues in Tokyo had some chocolates waiting for me.

Now women aren’t totally left out. They just have to wait for their own version of the festivities, called White Day, which comes in March.  That’s when all the gifts, including white chocolates, come their way.

In general, Japan’s holidays don’t have the religious or nationalistic overtones that ours do in America. Although these are not the exact names, there is Old People’s Day, Young People’s (or Coming of Age) Day, Ocean Day, Arts Day and Sports Day, just to name a few.  They even have a name for multiple days of a holiday called Golden Week as the old year turns into the new one.

And while the Japanese enjoy the Christmas season, I gather that Christmas Eve is a major “date night” where wedding proposals often come about. Something to think about if you’re single and planning a visit to The Land of the Rising Sun.