Japan’s Christmas Traditions
Food: Rather than a homecooked Christmas meal, dinner of choice in Japan is actually KFC and fried chicken, with restaurants around the country selling out of Christmas pre-orders regularly. You’ll also find traditional Japanese Christmas cake, but it isn’t the stodgy fruit cake you might be expecting. This Christmas cake is a perfect looking sponge cake decorated with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.
Gifts: As Christmas has only been around in more recent time in Japan, Japanese people see Christmas as a time for spreading kindness through spending time together and giving presents, mirroring many customs which have come over from North America. The Japanese people regularly refer to Santa Claus as ‘Santa-san’, which translates closer to ‘Mr Santa’.
Christmas quirk: Christmas Eve is considered a romantic time for couples and is often celebrated more than Christmas Day itself. It’s treated a lot like Valentine’s Day, with couples taking strolls to admire the Christmas lights and decorations, then going for a candlelit meal. Such is the tradition that competition can be incredibly stiff for booking a romantic table for two, with places filling up weeks in advance!
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