There are two Valentine's Days in Japan: one is celebrated on February 14 (St. Valentine's Day in the West) and the other is celebrated on March 14 (White Valentine's Day).

One, February 14th is known as Western Valentine's Day, and on that day Japanese women give men gifts, which are basically limited to chocolates. Chocolates given to the person you really like are called "natal chocolates," and chocolates given to coworkers and friends as a token of appreciation are called "yori chocolates.

Second, White Valentine's Day is celebrated on March 14th. It was first celebrated in 1977 by Ishimura Mansando, a confectionery maker in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Japan, as a way to promote sweets by encouraging those who received the sweets to return the favor, and the holiday was first known as "Sugar Giving Day". Since 1980, it has been called "White Valentine's Day" because of the white color of the sugar used in the sweets. On White Valentine's Day, a man who receives a "natal chocolate" usually gives flowers, jewelry, chocolates, snacks, and other gifts to a woman in return, and replies to her with his own thoughts, while a man who receives a "righteous chocolate" usually gives a chocolate of higher value than a woman would. The first time I saw this, it was a very good idea for me to get a copy of it.