Christmas is undoubtedly the winter holiday for excellence known and celebrated all over the world, but each place celebrates this day differently according to its own beliefs and traditions.
In fact, in Japan, unlike Western countries, Christmas is not a national holiday, so schools and work activities are open. However, the Christmas season is very much cherished by the population, even though it is seen more as a time of joy and fun than as a religious celebration.
On 24 December, in fact, the Japanese celebrate a kind of Lovers' Day, when couples usually exchange gifts and go out to dinner in Italian or French restaurants. There is also a very special tradition that has spread, that of eating fried chicken for Christmas dinner. This custom originated as a result of the advertising campaigns of the American chain KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) in 1974, which created the special ‘Kentucky for Christmas’ menu consisting of chicken, salad and cake, all served in a Christmas package. The chicken tradition seems to be related to the scarcity of turkeys in Japan. US residents in Japan wanted to celebrate Christmas Eve by eating their typical dish and fried chicken was the closest thing they could find. Moreover, the fast food chain launched the character of Colonel Sanders dressed as Father Christmas in its establishments in Japan. Since then, he can be found every year in all the chain's restaurants.
Source:https://www.watabi.it/blog/cultura-giapponese/natale-in-giappone/
Another typical Christmas food in Japan is the Chritsmas Cake, a simple cake made of sponge cake and whipped cream, decorated with strawberries and pictures of Father Christmas. This cake was introduced into Japanese society after World War II and was considered a luxury food, as its consumption was a symbol of economic prosperity.
Source: https://viaggiareingiappone.it/natale-in-giappone/
The figure of Father Christmas is also known and loved by the Japanese, who call him ‘Santa- San’, very similar to ‘Santa Claus’ for Americans, because it is thanks to them that Christmas came to Japan. In the Buddhist culture, there is a character who resembles Father Christmas. It’s Hotei (布袋), also known as the ‘Happy Buddha’, often shown with a sack full of gifts and surrounded by children. Although the tradition of giving gifts in the name of Father Christmas is not particularly developed in Japan, his figure appears everywhere during the Christmas season: in shops, restaurants, TV programmes and so on. In addition, the city of Osaka hosts ‘The Great Santa Run’, which is a charity race in which all participants run dressed as Father Christmas.
Source: https://voyapon.com/it/cosa-fare-a-natale-in-giappone/
After the dinner on 24 December and the gift exchange, it is common to go out into the city to enjoy the illuminations. The Japanese are indeed experts in decorations and shows and know how to create fantastic light and sound shows, the so-called ‘Christmas Illuminations’.
We suggest you take a walk in the districts of Odaiba, Shiodome and Roppongi, where there are traditional European-style Christmas markets with typical German food and drinks, or even the famous Jewel of Shonan, on Enoshima Island, where there are some of the most beautiful illuminations in the entire country.
Source: https://voyapon.com/it/cosa-fare-a-natale-in-giappone/
Even department stores, shops, clubs and cafés have adopted the tradition of decorating their areas for Christmas. Even shop assistants and staff often wear Santa hats or other themed clothes.
Theme parks in Japan have taken advantage of imported holidays such as Halloween and Christmas to attract more visitors, with Disneyland and Universal Studios filling up with decorations and illuminations, organising themed parades and selling Christmas gadgets. This leads families, couples and groups of friends to spend this holiday in the parks and so enjoy Christmas in a different way.
Source: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/christmas-tokyo-disneyland/
One of the most curious recent Christmas traditions in Japan is fukubukuro (福袋). This is a bag with ‘surprise’ contents, sold by shops at a lower price than the total value of the products included. Initially they were bought for New Year's Eve, but lately they can be bought as from December.
Source: https://voyapon.com/it/cosa-fare-a-natale-in-giappone/
Although Christmas isn’t seen as a religious holiday, therefore, it is still very much felt by the Japanese, who celebrate it following their own beliefs and traditions.
Featured image: https://www.jrailpass.com/blog/it/natale-in-giappone