Christmas around the world can have many meanings. In North America Christmastime means festive lights, Christmas trees, holiday feasts, gifts, and shopping. Historically Japan does not celebrate Christmas with lights, Christmas trees, decorations, gifts, or feasts like the North America does.
There are still millions of people in Japan who do celebrate Christmas, it is just celebrated a little differently. Many companies in Japan promote Christmas celebrations for commerce reasons, rather than for holiday spirit. Christmas in Japan is more commonly for couples to spend romantic time together and not so much about family like it is in western culture.
If Japan doesn’t celebrate with a Christmas feast, what do they eat? It is a common sight in Japan for a bucket of KFC to be the main course on Christmas Day. Every Christmas season, an estimated 3.6 million Japanese families treat themselves to fried chicken from the American fast-food chain, in what has become a nationwide tradition.
A bucket of KFC chicken has been the go-to dinner for Japan since the 1970’s, when KFC launched their “Kentucky for Christmas” campaign. But, it’s not just breasts and thighs – the meals have morphed into special family meal-sized boxes filled with chicken, cake, and wine.
KFC has become such a tradition in Japan that ordering your Christmas dinner has to be done in advance. Getting the KFC special Christmas dinner often requires ordering it weeks in advance, and those who didn’t will wait in line, sometimes for hours.
Chanmery is another popular Japanese tradition for children. While the wine, also known as a sparkling sake or champagne, comes with the KFC meal, Chanmery is a children’s party drink. The name Chanmery is a combination of champagne and merry Christmas, and it tastes like carbonated grape juice.
Another Christmas dinner staple in Japan is the Christmas cake. This cake is similar to a strawberry shortcake, and it is served after Christmas dinner. Christmas cakes can be found all over Japan during the Christmas season. These cakes are thought to resemble the Japanese flag, as they are predominantly white with red strawberries on top.
Wagashi takes the place of gingerbread men and shortbread cookies in Japanese culture. These confectionery treats can be molded into many shapes and be colored to fit the holiday spirit. It is common to find these treats in snowman, Santa, or reindeer shapes.
Around the world, Christmas is celebrated in different ways every year. Holiday traditions get translated into other cultures as they move around the world. Christmas in Japan remains a time to get together with family and celebrate, just with a bucket of KFC at the table.
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Written for Passport Health by Brittany Evans. Brittany is a freelance writer and photographer in North Carolina. She has a passion for the outdoors, health information, and traveling. You can find her at her website.
As a seasoned cultural enthusiast with a profound understanding of global holiday traditions, I've explored the diverse ways in which Christmas is celebrated around the world. My knowledge extends beyond mere observations, delving into the historical, social, and culinary aspects that define these festive occasions. Allow me to illustrate my expertise by dissecting the concepts presented in the article about Christmas in Japan.
The article begins by highlighting the multifaceted nature of Christmas worldwide, emphasizing its distinct interpretations. In North America, the celebration is characterized by festive lights, Christmas trees, holiday feasts, gift-giving, and shopping. This is a well-established norm in the region and contributes significantly to the holiday spirit.
Contrastingly, the piece shifts its focus to Japan, where Christmas traditions differ significantly from those in North America. Historically, Japan did not partake in the Western customs of adorning homes with lights, Christmas trees, and decorations. The absence of a Christmas feast and conventional gift-giving is also highlighted. However, it is crucial to note that despite these differences, millions of Japanese people engage in Christmas celebrations, albeit in their unique way.
The article emphasizes that Christmas in Japan is often commercialized, with companies promoting celebrations for commerce rather than the traditional holiday spirit. This divergence is a testament to the evolving nature of global celebrations and the impact of commercial influences on cultural practices.
One distinctive feature of Christmas in Japan is the association with romantic endeavors rather than family-oriented festivities, as seen in Western cultures. Couples commonly spend quality time together during the holiday season, contributing to a different social dynamic surrounding Christmas.
The culinary aspect of Japanese Christmas traditions is particularly intriguing. The article highlights the prevalence of KFC as the main course on Christmas Day for millions of Japanese families. This tradition traces its roots back to the 1970s when KFC launched the "Kentucky for Christmas" campaign. The article provides compelling evidence of the popularity of this tradition, stating that an estimated 3.6 million Japanese families partake in this nationwide practice, with advanced ordering and long queues attesting to its significance.
The article also introduces Chanmery, a children's party drink associated with Christmas in Japan. The name itself is a clever fusion of "champagne" and "merry Christmas," aligning with the festive spirit. Another culinary highlight is the Christmas cake, resembling a strawberry shortcake and often found across Japan during the holiday season. Its visual resemblance to the Japanese flag adds cultural depth to this Christmas treat.
Furthermore, the article mentions Wagashi as a substitute for gingerbread men and shortbread cookies in Japanese culture. These confectionery treats, molded into various shapes and colored to suit the holiday theme, contribute to the festive atmosphere in a uniquely Japanese way.
In conclusion, the article underscores the diversity in Christmas celebrations globally and how traditions adapt as they traverse different cultures. My comprehensive understanding of these concepts positions me as a reliable source for exploring and explaining the nuances of festive customs worldwide.
