Christmas is not a traditional or official holiday in Japan. But Western influences have led to the country celebrating Christmas and in a unique way. The Japanese have put their own festive twists on the celebration of the season. The fusion of Western and local traditions ensures that Christmas in Japan is both wonderful and surprising.
What can you look forward to when you visit Japan at Christmas?
The season of romance
As Christmas is not an official holiday, many Japanese businesses do not close on Christmas Day. Only 1% of the population identify as Christian and so for most people, Christmas is not a religious holiday. For these reasons, Christmas Day has not become an occasion for family gatherings. Christmas in Japan is more of a romantic time enjoyed by couples.
Indeed, Christmas Eve is now a celebration of romance somewhat akin to Valentine’s Day in the West. Couples enjoy special meals together, explore the festive illuminations and exchange gifts. Restaurants and hotels offer special packages for Christmas Eve, making it a fabulous date night for Japanese couples.
Japanese Christmas dinner
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Christmas in Japan is the meal that has become something of a tradition across the country. While families in the West feast on Roast turkey, stuffing and Brussels sprouts, the meal of choice for Japanese families is KFC! (KFC is known as Kentucky in Japan).
Every Christmas, around 3.6 million Japanese households get their festive meal from none other than Kentucky Fried Chicken. Demand for the fried chicken is so great that people begin placing orders as far as six weeks in advance. Queues to collect the holiday meals can be hours long.
The popularity of KFC at Christmas dates back to the 1970s. The first KFC manager in the country, Takeshi Okawara, came up with the idea of a party bucket to be sold at Christmas. He had been inspired by immigrants and visitors from the West commenting on how much they missed their seasonal turkey dinner.
In 1974, KFC Japan launched a hugely successful national Christmas marketing campaign. The rest is history!
Christmas cake in Japan
Christmas cake is a seasonal staple in Japan but the creamy strawberry sponge variety that is popular in the country is a very different treat to the much denser European fruit cakes. The light sponge cakes seen in Japan are topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries which symbolize celebration and joy.
Santa-san and gift-giving
Children in Japan may receive gifts from "Santa-san" (Santa Claus), but gift exchanges between families or friends are less common. The focus is on thoughtful, often romantic gifts exchanged by couples.
The Japanese have not developed a gift-giving tradition at Christmas. This may be because Oseibo, one of Japan’s two traditional gift-giving seasons, takes place at the end of the year, shortly after Christmas. Oseibo gifts are intended to be expressions of thanks to those who have shown you kindness during the year. They may be offered to clients, superiors at work, and other important people including doctors. The gifts exchanged as Oseibo tend to be consumables such as edibles and soaps.
New Year is also a time for gift-giving in Japan. Indeed, New Year celebrations, hold much greater cultural and spiritual significance than Christmas.
Illuminations and decorations
Japanese cities shine brightly during the Christmas period with stunning illuminations, or “Illumi,” creating magical light displays in parks, streets, and shopping districts. Decorations often include smaller Christmas trees and creative ornaments that fuse Western and Japanese aesthetics. The most significant illuminations across the country include:
Tokyo Skytree
Kingdom of Lights at Huis Ten Bosch
Yomiuriland
Nabana no Sato Winter Illumination
Hakodate Winter Festival
Flower Fantasy at Ashikaga Flower Park
Kobe Luminarie
Immediately after Christmas, decorations come down to make way for the New Year celebrations.
Christmas markets
Christmas markets are common in Japan. Often inspired by German Christmas markets and European traditions, they feature wooden stalls selling crafts, drinks and food. They are usually smaller affairs than European markets however, the Tokyo Christmas Market is a major attraction which feels designed to beat the competition. It has the backing of the German Embassy, and the offerings include European foods, mulled wine, German sausages and live music.
Most Christmas markets in Japan are free to visit but there is an admission charge for the Tokyo Christmas Market. Other significant markets include the Christmas market at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, the Hakodate Christmas Fantasy in Hokkaido and the Kobe Christmas Market.
A Christmas of romance and beautiful aesthetics
From festive light displays and romantic dinners to quirky customs including eating fried chicken, Japan’s Christmas celebrations reflect the nation’s ability to adopt and adapt global traditions while adding unique cultural touches.
Whether you are visiting during the holiday season or you are exploring traditions around the globe, Japan offers a fascinating perspective on this widely celebrated occasion. The Japanese have adopted the romantic holiday aspects of the season and its appealing aesthetics, but Christmas in Japan is not an official holiday and is relatively low key when compared to the celebrations in Europe or North America.
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