Japan may be the land of traditions and technology, but what is not so well known is the romantic appeal of the Land of the Rising Sun. There is so much to explore here that celebrating Valentine’s Day in Japan seems like the perfect thing to do. The glitzy cities with their appealing skylines or the mountains and coastline of the north are the perfect setting for a romantic getaway with your partner for a love-filled vacation.
Valentine’s Day History In Japan
Interestingly, Valentine’s Day in Japan is celebrated a little differently as it is women who often gift men chocolates instead of the other way around. It is not exactly known how the tradition started as there must be some advertising agency at some point in the 1900s which introduced the concept to the country. However, Japan had a very different take on the celebration. The country also celebrates 14th March as the White Day. This is the day when men gift women who gave them chocolates and Japanese desserts on Valentine’s.
13 Places To Visit On Valentine’s Day In Japan
Read on to know more about all the wonderfully appealing places you can take your date on when you celebrate Valentine’s Day on your trip to Japan. Either pick your favorite place together or let it be a sweet surprise for your better half!
- Ishinohana
- Maduro
- Motif
- Sky Lounge Aurora
- Kaiyukan
- Abeno Harukas
- Sagano Romantic Train
- Gardens Of Arashiyama
- Kouri Island
- Sky Restaurant 634
- Imperial Palace East Gardens
- Shinjuku Gyoen
- Tokyo Skytree
1. Ishinohana
This cocktail bar in Shibuya, Tokyo is the very definition of ‘class’ for a perfect Valentine’s Day in Japan. A finalist in the Time Out Tokyo Love Awards 2017, the bar is most well known for its high-end seasonal cocktails. Located right next to the Shibuya station, the nerve center of downtown Tokyo, the bar has elite patrons over all the time, and maybe the perfect place for your special occasion. Claudia, the bar’ name for a martini with pineapple juice and caramel syrup is the one that is most recommended, as is Polar Star, an aquavit drink with apple and lemon juice.
Location: Shibuya Station, Tokyo
Timings: 6 PM – 2 AM
Cost for two: INR 600
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2. Maduro
This high-end cigar-jazz-whiskey club is meant for a perfect occasion. Located at the end of a mazy pathway of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Tokyo, Maduro is popular with patrons for some of the rarest whiskey in the world and one of the best places for a sweet and romantic Valentine’s Day in Japan. Other than that, there are plenty of cocktails to go with the occasion that will sweeten the day for you, making it one of the best places to visit in Tokyo in summer. This spacious establishment has a lounge bar, private rooms as well as box seats, providing all manners of seating for up to 100 patrons at a time. The club also features regular live jazz every night, which only makes the place more romantic.
Location: Roppongi, Tokyo
Timings: 7 PM – 1 AM
Cost for two: INR 2500
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3. Motif
This restaurant and bar is the place to go if you are trying to impress your date on Valentine’s. Located in the Pacific Century Place, the restaurant offers amazing views of the platforms of the Tokyo station where you can watch the bullet trains arrive and depart while sipping on the many signature cocktails here. The Japanese Valentine’s Day menu offered is mainly French, with the Social Salon area of the restaurant offering Asano-Nakamichi creations and the Living Room specializing in casual lunches. You can also visit the Gastronomic Gallery where you can have lunch in the afternoon and drinks at the tapas bar in the evening.
Location: Four Seasons Tokyo
Timings: 10 AM – 12 AM
Cost for two: INR 4000
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4. Sky Lounge Aurora
Located inside the Keio Plaza, the Sky Lounge Bar is perhaps the most romantic place for a dinner date in Tokyo. Offering bird’s eye views of the metropolis, you can spot from your window the Nishi-Shinjuku towers, the Shinjuku shopping area, the Skytree and finally the landmark Tokyo Tower. A great idea would be to go around sunset when you can watch the sunset over the Kenzo Tange designed headquarters of the central government. The cocktails at the bar are nothing to sneeze at, mixed by Kazuya Watanabe who has been honored by the government for being a master craftsman.
Location: Keio Plaza
Timings: 5 PM – 11:30 PM
Cost for two: INR 6000
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5. Kaiyukan
Osaka is a beautiful Japanese city in its own right, and the Kaiyukan, the city’s aquarium, is perhaps the centerpiece of its huge entertainment district called Tempozan. While you may not think of fish as great companions in a romance, the place has built a formidable reputation since the 90s as a popular dating spot. With romantic lights and interiors taken right out of a picture book, the place is great for a quiet evening with your partner. The larger area of Tempozan is also abuzz with concerts and other events, so there is a lot of fun to be had here other than exotic fish. For special occasions, you can go for a boat ride around the harbor aboard the Santa Maria cruise ship.
Location: Minato Ward, Osaka
Timings: 10 AM – 8 PM
Entry fee: INR 1400 per person
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6. Abeno Harukas
The tallest commercial building in Japan, the Abeno Harukas is bursting with great restaurants, shopping centers and entertainment spots. While most of the restaurants are quite expensive, the building invites throngs of crowds every day, especially the holidays. However, what makes the place a special attraction for lovebirds are the sky decks at 300 meters atop the building where you can get panoramic views of the port and the famous Osaka skyline. Also, little note, there is a huge department store on the ground level where you can pick out the perfect chocolates for the day from a collection of about 100 different varieties. The place is also great for White Day gifts.
Location: Abeno Suji, Osaka
Timings for Harukas 300: 9 AM – 10 PM
Entry fee: INR 1500 per head
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7. Sagano Romantic Train
Given the Valentine’s Day history in Japan, this is your chance to do something different. This one of the kind train services in the Saga Arashiyama area of the city of Kyoto is also called the Sagano Torokko Ressha or the Sagano Truck Train. It runs on an old freight line using the traditional narrow gauge. Passing through some of the most beautiful landscapes, including the signature cherry blossom trees of Japan that bloom in spring and the Hozugawa river, the train ride transcends romance into the surreal.
Location: Saga Arashiyama, Kyoto
Timings: First train at 9 AM, last train at 4 PM
Ticket cost: INR 400 per person
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8. Gardens Of Arashiyama
Kyoto was once the capital of the Japanese empire, and the city still has the romance of the old Japan. The gardens of Arashiyama, once the favorite spot for aristocrats, is a popular tourist spot and one of the most romantic spots in the city for an outdoor date. The Togetsukyo Bridge is an especially favorite place for couples, the trees and colors and the stream and the bridge feel like they have been painted on by artists. The sakura flowers of spring are also a good reason to take your partner here for Valentine’s.
Location: Ukyo Ward, Kyoto
Timings: 9 AM – 5 PM
Entry fee: Free admissions
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9. Kouri Island
The Japanese islands of Okinawa are famous all over the world for their natural beauty, and the Kouri island is a popular one for its romantic and secluded beaches. Connected through the Kouri Ohashi bridge, the first place to go to would be the Ocean observation tower that offers majestic views of the ocean as well as the bridge. The beach under the bridge has quite a few of the heart-shaped rocks that have made waves on Instagram, and some water frolicking here with your significant other will always be good memories.
Location: Okinawa Prefecture
Timings: 9 AM to 6 PM
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10. Sky Restaurant 634
Of all of the romantic places for a date in Tokyo, the Sky Restaurant 634 is perhaps the most high profile. Located a stunning 345 meters above the ground, the restaurant has the best views of the biggest city in the world, along with unparalleled views of Mount Fuji. The restaurant specializes in Tokyo cuisine, a distinct Japanese food style based on seasonal vegetables. Its Japanese Valentine’s Day menu is absolutely perfect. You will have to buy Tembo Deck entrance tickets to enter the Sky Restaurant, but the one thing to know for sure is that the place will make for a memorable Valentine’s date.
Location: Tokyo Financial District
Timing: 11 AM – 10 PM
Entry fee: INR 1200 per person
Cost for two: INR 15000
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11. Imperial Palace East Gardens
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The Imperial Palace East Gardens is located at a convenient 5-10 minutes walking distance from the Tokyo Station. Couples believe it to be one of the best places for celebrating Valentine’s Day in Japan. These lush gardens of Japan are the location of the former Edo Castle and now happen to be a part of the present-day Imperial Palace, which is a stunning sight to behold! The foundation of the previous castle tower still stands tall here, along with its attractive moats. The garden part of this attraction is very well maintained and exemplifies the expert landscaping skills of the Japanese people.
Location: 1-1 Chiyoda, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-8111, Japan
Timing: 9am–5pm
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12. Shinjuku Gyoen
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The Shinjuku Gyoen is a mere 10-minute walk away from the east Shinjuku Station and is among the most dramatic places to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Tokyo. Adorned with wide lawns, beautiful ponds, cherry blossom trees, and many more diverse types of interesting flora, this huge park is the perfect place to spend some relaxing and cozy moments with your partner. A romantic stroll in this French as well as Japanese landscaped garden is exactly what you need to ignite the spark in your affair this year!
Location: 11 Naitomachi, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0014, Japan
Timing: 9am–4:30pm
Entry fee: INR 130
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13. Tokyo Skytree
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The Tokyo Skytree is as tall as 634 meters (2080 feet) above sea level and is an impressive addition to the landscape of Japan. In fact, the Skytree is presently the tallest structure in all of Japan. The lower deck of this building is about 350 meters high and is called the Tembo Deck. It allows people to get breathtaking 360 degree panoramas of the whole city from its large windows, making it one of the best spots for celebrating a relaxed Valentine’s Day in Tokyo. If you wish to view the city from an even higher platform, you should take elevators to the Tembo Gallery.
Location: 1 Chome-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida City, Tokyo 131-0045, Japan
Timing: 8am–10pm
Entry fee: INR 700
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There are plenty of places to visit in the country for Valentine’s, which obviously includes shopping for chocolates and White Day gifts. Japan is the perfect background again which you can plan the perfect date. So,book your trip to Japan with us now to have the most romantic Valentine’s day in Japan!
Frequently Asked Questions About Valentine’s Day In Japan
How do they celebrate Valentine’s Day in Japan?
The traditional way to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Japan for girls is to give chocolates and gifts to boys that they like.
Do they celebrate Valentine’s Day in Japan?
Yes, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Japan in either traditional ways or those adopted from modern and western influences.
What is the difference between Valentine’s Day and White Day?
Valentine’s Day in Japan is marked by girls giving chocolates and gifts to men. While White Day is when boys give an answer (often accompanied by chocolates and gifts if the answer is yes) to those girls.
What does Valentine’s Day mean?
Valentine’s Day is a celebration of romantic love and affection in many countries across the world.
What is white Valentine’s Day?
White Day in Japan is when the boys respond to the girls who gave them chocolates and gifts on Valentine’s Day.
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