Published 9th Dec. 2024
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It’s (almost) the most wonderful time of the year. As Christmas markets pop up nationwide, festive tunes take over the radio waves, and gift lists begin to be drafted, we’re looking further afield to see how other countries celebrate. Every culture has its own distinct way of marking this merry period, and Japan certainly knows how to put its own spin on Christmas festivities. From deep-fried Christmas dinners to gift-delivering ghosts, read on to find out about Japan’s Christmas traditions…
In the UK, Christmas shopping lists tend to contain turkey, potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and pigs in blankets (plus all the trimmings). In Japan, however, the Christmas Day spread looks a little different, with a famous fast food gracing the menu instead. This deep-fried tradition can be traced back to 1974 when a clever marketing campaign by KFC promoted the idea of Kurisumasu ni wa, Kentakki (meaning ‘Kentucky for Christmas’). Today, the Colonel’s buckets of crispy chicken take pride of place on Christmas dinner tables across Japan, with some families even opting to dine in and book tables at KFC months in advance. Something to try if you find yourself on a festive Japan holiday?
As anyone with a sweet tooth will agree, Christmas dinner isn’t complete without a slice of chocolate yule log or a wedge of fruit-filled, brandy-soaked Christmas pudding. But again, Japan’s Christmas traditions differ somewhat from these familiar Yuletide desserts. The most common cake option for Christmas Day is strawberry shortcake, and this tradition can be attributed to politics more than marketing. Post-WWII, sweet treats were much-coveted luxuries, as ingredients remained scarce; in subsequent years, Christmas cakes came to represent Japan’s emergence out of this tough period and the recovery of its economy. Strawberry shortcake was selected as the favoured cake to reflect the red and white colours of the nation’s flag. Christmas traditions in Japan don’t get sweeter than this.
Forget Valentine’s Day; Christmas is marked in Japan’s calendar as the most romantic time of year. While most countries see Christmas Day as a family affair, in Japan, it tends to be a two-person celebration, with festive traditions favouring coupledom and time spent à deux. Romantic dinners, strolling hand-in-hand through the Christmas illuminations and prioritising time spent with your partner are the most popular ways to spend December 25th in Japan. The proposed reasons for this romantic fervour range from Christmas simply being a time for love and joy, to the chart-topping success of the song ‘My Lover is Santa Claus’ in 1982. Come New Year’s Eve, family is back in fashion, as this is traditionally seen as the holiday to spend with relatives.
Oseibo is an ancient Japanese gift-giving tradition in which people express gratitude and thanks to those who have shown them kindness that year. This can include family, partners and colleagues, as well as wider acquaintances. The cherished custom has become closely associated with Christmas, since gifts are typically exchanged as the year draws to a close. And while Father Christmas is a recognised figure in this part of the world, he’s imagined in a slightly different form; the lack of chimneys in Japanese houses makes his classic gift-delivery method challenging, so he instead appears as a mystical ghost with gifts in tow.
Written by Luisa Watts | Header Image by Koya San.
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