Who doesn’ t love good chocolate? And we’ve arrived at Valentines, the perfect chance to buy something sweet for yourself or share with others.
Even if there isn’t a someone special in your life, in Japan, Valentines is more than an occasion for couples! Though still very gendered, with Valentines Day being the time women are expected to give chocolate, and White Day in March the occasion for men to return chocolates, you can choose how to participate in the way that feels right to you. For many people, the holiday can be completely devoid of the romantic expectation. And whether you opt to craft up something yourself, or t is a good excuse to give chocolate to friends (known as tomo choco 友チョコ) or to people in your workplace (called giri choco 義理チョコ, the obligatory chocolate)
Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi, Department Store with Plenty of Choices
Price: $-$$
If you’re drawn to one of the brands specialty brands we mention below, you will want to head right over to their brick and mortars. However, if you want more choice and need some time to browse before you actually make your purchase, going to a department store and having plenty to choose from might be the right choice for you. Having display case after display case of bon bons, truffles and chocolate gateau with their accompanying prices is a big convenience. And in Mitsukoshi, Tokyo’s oldest department store, the basement floors will be corner to corner with display case of the most decadent chocolates you might imagine. From boxed chocolates, mini-cakes and other Valentine-themed delights, you can literally find something for ANY budget, with the least expensive gifts coming in around 500JPY and the luxury items going well over 10,000JPY. How’s that for range:
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Hours: 10:00-19:00
Access: Mitsukoshi Mae Station
Address: 〒103-8001 Tokyo Chuo-ku Nihonbashi Muromachi 1-4-1
Dandelion Chocolate, Born in San Franciso and Japanified
Price: $
A San Francisco implant that found a home in Tokyo, Dandelion Chocolate is known for its small batch method and single origin sourcing. Traveling right to the producers, Dandelion buys its beans for fair prices and draws on local knowledge to perfect its flavors. Enjoy its bars wrapped in stylish paper packaging and some of its cafe items at one of the two Tokyo Locations. The Kuramae Factory and Cafe is the main store with the full selection, while the Bean to Bar Lounge in Omotesando is a great place to stop for your Valentines sugar hit if you’re planning on doing other shopping.
Kuramae Factory and Cafe/ Bean to Bar Lounge Omotesando
Hours: 10:00-20:00/ 11:00-20:00
Access: Kuramae Station / Omotesando Station
Address: 〒111-0051 Tokyo Taito-ku Kuramae 4-14-6
/ 〒150-0001 Tokyo Shibuya-ku Jingu Mae 5-10-1
Craft Chocolate Works, Local Taste of Tokyo
Price: $
Take a walk through this chic Setagaya neighborhood and you’re sure to smell the rich smell of melted chocoalte waft through the air. Craft Chocolate Works, an independent chocolate dealer, can be found between two hip neighborhoods, Ikejiri Ohashi and Sangenjaya. This is another bean to bar, one place process specialty store. They source cacao from all over the world, with most of their bars being single origin and having high cacao content (think 70% plus). Most individual bars will hover around 1,000JPY, but they also sell large sample sets that include mini tablets of its best bars. The design of Craft Chocolate Work is understated and classy, with many of its bars boasting traditional washi print motifs.
Hours: 11:00-18:00 (Closed Mondays)
Access: A 9 minute walk from Ikejiri Ohashi Station or Sangenjaya Station
Address: 〒154-0001 Tokyo Setagaya-ku Ikejiri 2-7-4 1F
Bel Amer Japanese Aesthetic
Price$-$
This is another distinctly Japanese brand that will literally take your breath away at first peak. Each of the individual chocolate disks sold at Bel Amer is like a painting. The palm-sized pallets are decorated with a stunning assortment of ingredients, from dried fruit to candied nuts and edible gold. Disks fall around 300JPY, so this can be a great place to pick up individual chocolates for the office, or to dazzle someone with an assortment.
There are several locations across Tokyo. Please refer to the Official Site for details.
Caffarel, Imported Foiled Goodness
Price:$-$
Also becoming a popular trend is the Italian chocolate Caffarel. This brand is known for its cute shapes and the foiled mini treats. One of its most popular selections is the mushroom pot, a plastic mushroom shaped bucket filled with mini mushroom foiled chocolates. This is a great option for the office (if you’re willing to pay gourmet prices, think 30,000JPY, yikes!).
Hours: Monday- Saturday, 8:00-22:00
Sunday, 8:00-21:00
Access: Tokyo Station
Address:〒100-0005 Tokyo Chiyoda-ku Marunouchi 1-9-1
Tomiz: Make Your Own
Price: $-$
Interested in making your chocolates by hand? Putting in that extra effort for friends and that special someone is a great way to show just how much you care. Tomiz provides all your baking needs with a focus on imported and organic high quality ingredients. You can find a wide variety of flour, nuts, dried fruit, extracts, and baking molds beyond your wildest dreams. Every year, come Valentines day, the store stocks up on goods particular for crafting Valentines day chocolates. You can find chocolate melting tablets in dark, milk, white and other flavor variations. For the finishing touches, try adding some of the freeze-dried fruit pieces or crushed nuts. In case you’re looking for a shape a little less on the ‘square’ side, they have silicon molds galore. You can also purchase all the wrappings for your homemade treats, including foil cups, paper boxes and cellophane bags with twist ties. From start to finish every ingredient and packaging detail you might need can be found here.
There are several locations across Tokyo. Please refer to the Official Site for details.
Like our list? Check out the rest of our blog for cool cultural phenomena explained and pro tips on travelling to Japan!
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