{"id":1801,"date":"2026-02-06T13:51:49","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T04:51:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/?p=1801"},"modified":"2026-02-06T13:51:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T04:51:49","slug":"news-intermediate-valentines-day-gifts-rising-chocolate-prices-in-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/news-intermediate-valentines-day-gifts-rising-chocolate-prices-in-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"\u30c1\u30e7\u30b3\u9ad8\u9a30\u3067\u5909\u308f\u308b\u65e5\u672c\u306e\u30d0\u30ec\u30f3\u30bf\u30a4\u30f3"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div id=\"rtoc-mokuji-wrapper\" class=\"rtoc-mokuji-content frame2 preset1 animation-fade rtoc_open default\" data-id=\"1801\" data-theme=\"jin-child\">\n\t\t\t<div id=\"rtoc-mokuji-title\" class=\" rtoc_left\">\n\t\t\t<button class=\"rtoc_open_close rtoc_open\"><\/button>\n\t\t\t<span>Contents<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div><ol class=\"rtoc-mokuji decimal_ol level-1\"><li class=\"rtoc-item\"><a href=\"#rtoc-1\">Vocabulary<\/a><\/li><li class=\"rtoc-item\"><a href=\"#rtoc-2\">Article<\/a><\/li><li class=\"rtoc-item\"><a href=\"#rtoc-3\">Comprehension Questions<\/a><\/li><li class=\"rtoc-item\"><a href=\"#rtoc-4\">Summary<\/a><\/li><li class=\"rtoc-item\"><a href=\"#rtoc-5\">Discussion<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div><h2 id=\"rtoc-1\"  class=\"wp-block-heading\">Vocabulary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"marker2\"><strong>Soaring<\/strong><\/span><strong> \/<\/strong><strong> \u6025\u9a30\u3057\u3066\u3044\u308b\u30fb\u6025\u4e0a\u6607\u3057\u3066\u3044\u308b\uff08\u52d5\u8a5e\u30fb\u5f62\u5bb9\u8a5e\uff09 <\/strong>\u2013 rising very quickly<br><br>Chocolate prices are soaring this year.<br>\u4eca\u5e74\u306f\u30c1\u30e7\u30b3\u30ec\u30fc\u30c8\u306e\u4fa1\u683c\u304c\u6025\u9a30\u3057\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"marker2\"><strong>Line up<\/strong><\/span><strong>\/ \u54c1\u305e\u308d\u3048\uff08\u540d\u8a5e\uff09<\/strong> \u2013 a group or selection of products<br><br>The shop expanded its dessert line up.<br>\u305d\u306e\u5e97\u306f\u30c7\u30b6\u30fc\u30c8\u306e\u54c1\u305e\u308d\u3048\u3092\u62e1\u5145\u3055\u305b\u307e\u3057\u305f\u3002<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"marker\"><span class=\"marker2\"><strong>Substitute<\/strong><\/span><\/span><strong>\/ \u4ee3\u66ff\u54c1\u30fb\u4ee3\u7528\u54c1\uff08\u540d\u8a5e\uff09 <\/strong>-Something used instead of another thing<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Peas are used as a substitute for cacao.<br>\u30ab\u30ab\u30aa\u306e\u4ee3\u66ff\u54c1\u3068\u3057\u3066\u30a8\u30f3\u30c9\u30a6\u8c46\u304c\u4f7f\u308f\u308c\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"marker\"><span class=\"marker2\"><strong>Demonstration<\/strong><\/span><\/span><strong>\/ \u5b9f\u6f14\uff08\u540d\u8a5e\uff09 <\/strong>&#8211; An act of showing how something is done, especially in front of other people.<br><br>The chef gave a live demonstration of how to make handmade chocolates.<br>\u30b7\u30a7\u30d5\u306f\u305d\u306e\u5834\u3067\u3001\u624b\u4f5c\u308a\u30c1\u30e7\u30b3\u30ec\u30fc\u30c8\u306e\u4f5c\u308a\u65b9\u3092\u5b9f\u6f14\u3057\u307e\u3057\u305f\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"marker2\"><strong><strong>Self-indulgence<\/strong><\/strong><\/span><strong>\/ \u81ea\u5206\u3078\u306e\u3054\u8912\u7f8e\u30fb\u3061\u3087\u3063\u3068\u3057\u305f\u305c\u3044\u305f\u304f\uff08\u540d\u8a5e\uff09<\/strong> \u2013 Treating yourself to something enjoyable<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Buying luxury chocolates became an act of self-indulgence.<br>\u9ad8\u7d1a\u30c1\u30e7\u30b3\u30ec\u30fc\u30c8\u3092\u8cb7\u3046\u3053\u3068\u306f\u3001\u81ea\u5206\u3078\u306e\u3054\u8912\u7f8e\u306b\u306a\u308a\u307e\u3057\u305f\u3002<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"rtoc-2\"  class=\"wp-block-heading\">Article<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Valentine\u2019s Day Gifts and Rising Chocolate Prices in Japan<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Department stores in Japan are changing their Valentine\u2019s Day gift strategies due to <strong>soaring<\/strong> cacao prices. Chocolate has become much more expensive, so companies are offering new options to attract customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some stores are bundling premium chocolates with special experiences, such as chef-led tastings. Others are expanding their selection of non-chocolate sweets like cookies, gummies, and coffee-based confections. Sogo &amp; Seibu doubled its non-chocolate <strong>line up <\/strong>and raised chocolate prices by nearly 30 percent. By doing so, the store managed to keep its average gift price the same as last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other department stores are using alternative ingredients instead of cacao. Takashimaya introduced sweets made with pea-based <strong>substitutes<\/strong>, while Mitsukoshi Isetan added products with more fruits and nuts and less chocolate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some stores are also focusing on experiences rather than products. At Matsuya Ginza, customers can watch live <strong>demonstrations<\/strong> or enjoy chocolates prepared in front of them by professional pastry chefs. Although these experiences are expensive, many customers feel they are worth the price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A recent survey showed that more people plan to buy chocolates for themselves rather than for romantic partners. This suggests that Valentine\u2019s Day in Japan is becoming less about romance and more about <strong>self-indulgence<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><sub>Source: The Asahi Shimbun <\/sub><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"rtoc-3\"  class=\"wp-block-heading\">Comprehension Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Answer the questions following the article in English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What kinds of non-chocolate products are being offered?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How did Sogo &amp; Seibu manage to keep their average prices the same?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What alternative ingredients are being used instead of cacao?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>According to the survey, who are people most likely buying chocolates for?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"rtoc-4\"  class=\"wp-block-heading\">Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In your own words, attempt to summarise the article in 4 sentences or less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"rtoc-5\"  class=\"wp-block-heading\">Discussion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Discuss these topics with your tutor, and support your answers with examples or experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Do you think Valentine\u2019s Day should be about romance or self-care? Why?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Would you prefer receiving chocolates or a special experience, such as a tasting event?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How do rising prices affect the way people celebrate special occasions in your country?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Contents Vocabulary Article Comprehension Questions Summary Discussion Vocabulary Soaring \/ \u6025\u9a30\u3057\u3066\u3044\u308b\u30fb\u6025\u4e0a\u6607\u3057\u3066\u3044\u308b\uff08\u52d5\u8a5e\u30fb<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1815,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-04-news-intermediate"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1801","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1801"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1801\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1821,"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1801\/revisions\/1821"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1815"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}