Japanese Valentine’s Day: Great Places for Dates!

Japanese Valentine’s Day is a big celebration. Couples have plenty of romantic spots and fun activities. Instead of just watching a movie or dining at a fancy restaurant, try something new. Check out these ideas to make your Japanese Valentine’s Day truly unforgettable!

Step into a romantic fairy tale world at Disneyland!

The top destination is Tokyo Disneyland. This famous theme park sits in Urayasu, just outside Tokyo. You can enjoy magical attractions and meet fairy tale characters. Visit Mickey Mouse’s house, watch lively parades, and go on fun rides. Couples can share cute, themed food along the way. In the evening, the park glows with soft lights that create a warm, enchanting mood. Castles, storybook streets, and cheerful music make you feel like you’ve stepped into a happy dream.

Have a sweet date at Lindt Chocolate Boutique & Cafe Omotesando

Talking about Valentine’s Day always makes people think about the sweet taste of chocolate. A lovely place to enjoy this sweet feeling is the Lindt Chocolate Boutique and Cafe, located in the stylish Omotesando area in Tokyo. Lindt is a world-renowned Swiss chocolate brand with a long history of over 175 years. Visiting this boutique on Valentine’s Day lets couples learn about Lindt’s story and origin while enjoying yummy chocolate treats together.

Inside the boutique, visitors can explore numerous chocolate varieties, especially the popular Lindor chocolate balls with creamy centers and a variety of flavors. You can use a special coin machine to pick their favorite Lindor flavor and watch the chocolate roll down in an exciting way. The first floor is filled with chocolate gifts, truffles, and macarons that are perfect Valentine’s presents. The cozy cafe upstairs offers over 20 types of chocolate drinks, including special seasonal flavors.

Pray for happiness at Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine

If you are both history lovers, you shouldn’t miss visiting Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine on Valentine’s Day. This beautiful shrine is located in Kawagoe, a charming old town in Saitama Prefecture. The shrine is believed to be about 1,500 years old and is famous for prayers about love and happiness. 

Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine is easy to spot with its huge, bright orange torii gate. The gate stands about 15 meters tall. After passing through, visitors can wash their hands at the purification fountain. Then, explore the calm shrine grounds filled with traditional buildings, stone paths, and green trees. It’s a lovely place for couples to stroll together. You can take beautiful photos to remember your Valentine’s visit.

One of the most loved attractions inside the shrine is the Ema Tunnel. This wooden walkway is decorated with around 30,000 small wooden prayer plaques. Couples can write their wishes for love and happiness and hang them with thousands of others. Another fun activity is catching a fish-shaped fortune using a small fishing rod.

Behind the main shrine, visitors can find large zelkova trees said to be about 600 years old. Many people walk around the trees in a figure-eight pattern while making wishes for love and strong relationships. Couples can also buy a special red pencil charm that represents the red string of fate, which is believed to slowly bring destined partners closer together.

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Relax and unwind together at Ginzan Onsen

Ginzan Onsen is a lovely hot spring town hidden in the mountains of Yamagata Prefecture. The town grew long ago around a silver mine, but today it’s renowned for its warm hot spring baths and beautiful old-style streets. Wooden inns stand beside the gentle Ginzan River, and the quiet mountain setting makes visitors feel calm and cozy. The town center is a walking-only area, so couples can slowly stroll hand in hand and enjoy the peaceful view without cars around them.

One of the best activities here is soaking in the natural hot spring baths. Couples can enjoy public baths, try a private bath together, or dip their feet into the free foot bath beside the river. You can also wear a yukata (traditional robe) while walking around town, which makes the experience feel extra special. At night, soft gas lamps light the streets and bridges, creating a glowing storybook scene for a sweet Japanese Valentine’s date.

Enjoy fun on the ice together at Yokohama Art Rink

In Yokohama, couples do not only visit the Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel for sweet moments. They can also enjoy fun on the ice together at Yokohama Art Rink, a cheerful winter event that many visitors enjoy. This special rink is set at the well-known Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse in the lively Shinko area. This time, the event runs from November 29 to February 15, so couples celebrating Japanese Valentine’s Day can still enjoy a happy date here.

The Yokohama Art Rink stands at the event plaza outside the historic red brick buildings, which were first built in the early 1910s to support port trade. Today, the area has become one of the most popular sightseeing spots in Yokohama. Visitors can enjoy lovely ocean views of Minato Mirai, Yokohama Bay Bridge, and Osanbashi Pier while spending time near the rink.

This event first started in 2005 and has grown into a yearly winter highlight. Every year, a different local artist helps design the rink, turning the ice into a giant art canvas. The 2026 season features a theme called “Left Turn”, created by illustrator Haruyo Higashi, who decorates the space with cute manga-style drawings showing simple daily life scenes. As people skate, they can enjoy looking at the artwork around them.

Another exciting highlight happens on the night of Japanese Valentine’s Day, when visitors can try to watch the Yokohama Night Flowers fireworks after skating. The colorful fireworks shining over the harbor create a dreamy ending for a winter date.

Why should I try these ways for Japanese Valentine’s Day?

Trying these ideas can help you make your date more meaningful and memorable. These activities invite you to step outside usual date habits and see love through new experiences that mix imagination, sweetness, and peaceful moments, helping relationships grow naturally.

Japanese Valentine’s Day is also an opportunity to learn how love is expressed across different social and cultural spaces. Visiting special places, sharing seasonal traditions, and trying new experiences can create stories that couples remember long after the day ends. So, which experience would you be most curious to try, and why? Let me know in the comments!