Christmas In Japan

"Do the Japanese celebrate Christmas?" I hear this question a lot. And the quick answer is YES — they do! But it's not the kind of holiday it is elsewhere. Though Christmas is a Christian holiday, and Japan's Christian population is only about 1% of the total, it's still a fairly popular seasonal celebration.

Light, Shopping, and Spectacle

For weeks leading up to Christmas, Tokyo and other big cities really bring out the dazzle. Ginza, Tokyo's famous high-end shopping district, is decorated with glittering Christmas lights and elaborate store displays. Famous actors and musicians are called upon for tree lighting ceremonies in popular areas of town. There's no mistaking the economic enthusiasm of Christmas in Japan — much like Christmas in the United States, people shop for bargains and department stores offer special mystery bags you can buy for your loved ones.

A Holiday for Lovers and Children

Since Christmas is not a religious holiday in Japan, it's not a national holiday. No one gets the day off. If you want to celebrate, you do it on your own time. Christmas in Japan is mostly geared toward lovers and children. Christmas Eve is actually considered a romantic holiday — restaurants that offer cozy dinners on this special evening are often booked months in advance. Couples stroll down Christmas-lighted streets and exchange gifts. How charming!

Kentucky Fried Chicken and Strawberry Cake

Christmas Day itself might surprise an American visitor. The day is for giving gifts to children, eating fried chicken, and enjoying strawberry cake.

Yes, fried chicken. Kentucky Fried Chicken launched a Christmas campaign in Japan in the 1970s and it became a national tradition that endures to this day. People actually line up — sometimes for hours — to get their Christmas KFC bucket. Social media every December is full of photos of families enjoying their fried chicken feast on Christmas Day. It's both hilarious and wonderful.

The traditional cake eaten on this day is a layered vanilla sponge cake with white frosting and strawberries, both inside and on top. Bakeries compete fiercely for the best Christmas cake, but you can also pick yours up from a convenience store — and it will still be delicious.

And Then, New Year's

When Christmas is over, the lights come down and Japan moves on quickly. While Americans might keep their decorations up for another week or two, Japan instead turns its attention to its most important holiday: New Year's Day (Oshōgatsu), which has a much richer and more ancient set of traditions to celebrate. Stay tuned for a future post all about it!