Jade’s Guide to Christmas in Japan

If anyone has heard the KFC Christmas rumors, they are true (see below). Japan celebrates Christmas with KFC. However, none of the Japanese people in my social circle partake in that particular “festivity”. Instead, they simply buy a “Christmas cake” and indulge in that.

The Japanese version of a Christmas cake is not like what we have in the UK. In the UK, I imagine a hardened fruit cake (or perhaps just some apple crumble and custard). In Japan, they have beautifully decorated iced cakes – much like you might order for a birthday party. The only difference is that the icing is Christmassy and might include little iced reindeer.

Although it’s true that the Japanese eat KFC chicken for Christmas, one of my Japanese friends told me that any chicken will do, apparently! If it’s not from KFC, it’s often a roast chicken from Costco. Add to this salad, soup, pizza or sushi (it completely depends on the family what other food they choose to add), and you have your completed Christmas dinner!

But What About Japan’s KFC Christmas?

Well, every year from around November, adverts for the KFC Christmas family sets and bargain buckets start creeping into view. They aren’t cheap either! You end up paying between 3,780¥ (£26/€30/$34) and 5,800¥ (£40/€46/$52) for chicken bites or a whole roast, depending on how you feel.

I still have no idea how KFC pulled off this fantastic marketing feat, but they did it very well. Apparently, the national marketing campaign went ahead full steam in 1974 with the slogan クリスマスにはケンタッキー “Kentucky for Christmas”.

Some Japanese people order their KFC buckets a month in advance! If they don’t, they must submit themselves to hours of queueing to get their Christmas chicken-ladened feast on the day itself.

Christmas – The New Valentine’s Day

For the young couples who still don’t have children, Christmas is more comparable to the western concept of Valentine’s Day. Click here to read what the Japanese do on actual Valentine’s Day.

There are usually stunning light displays called イルミネーション “illuminations” dotted all over the place during Christmas time. It is typical for couples to stroll together and look at the displays before heading for a romantic candlelit dinner at a fancy restaurant.

Work, work, work

As Japan doesn’t really have Christianity as a core religion (I read somewhere that only 1% of the population is Christian), they treat Christmas as a typical work day. I was sad and astounded that I had to go and work on Christmas when I first moved to Japan. Now, I am quite accustomed to the oddities in Japan (thank smeg), but I still feel a bit strange treating Christmas like a standard day every time it rolls round.

Christmas Decorations?

Japan loves to cling onto anything that gives them an excuse for costumes, sparkly decorations and happy music. In Japan, I still hear typical western Christmas music playing in some shops. I also see enormous Christmas trees that nearly touch the ceiling in major shopping centres.

Shop assistants are often seen wearing Christmas hats or other Christmassy items. Every tree that lines major roads are dressed from head to toe in sparkly fairy lights. Add to that stunningly ornate decorative Christmas displays in the middle of department stores and you have your Japanese Christmas.

Father Christmas? Santa Claus? Is he part of it too?

Japan smegging loves Christmas. Children all know about サンタさん “Mr. Santa” and usually find presents at the end of their beds or under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning.

Couples who are dating or married couples that actually like each other (see my post on married Japanese couples) will also give each other a present. But after they come home from work, I guess.

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And there you have it, smegs and smegettes! The lowdown on how Japan celebrates Christmas.

メリークリスマス！

Jade xxx