For Day 9 of an Adventures with Sarah Christmas, we’re heading to Japan for the holidays with Dawn, our Business Manager, where she lived for two years:
“Let’s talk about Christmas in Japan! I was stationed outside Tokyo with the military for two years, and there are a number of Christmas traditions in Japan that I find fascinating.
First, because Japan isn’t a predominantly Christian country, Christmas is celebrated as a commercial and cultural holiday, with little to no religious significance. They celebrate it quite differently than we do in the U.S. or Europe. For instance, Christmas Day is just another workday if it falls midweek. In the evening, it’s treated like Valentine’s Day in the U.S.—a time for romantic dates. Couples go out for special dinners and enjoy a nice, romantic evening together.
Families, on the other hand, often order dinner from KFC. Since most Japanese home kitchens lack large ovens, cooking a whole chicken at home isn’t typical. Instead, they pre-order KFC’s special Christmas meal, which includes fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, and sides similar to what we’d associate with Thanksgiving here in the U.S. These KFC meals are so popular that the company releases its special Christmas menu a month or more in advance. If you don’t order ahead of time, you might miss out!”
“Another tradition is Christmas markets. In various spots around Tokyo, you’ll find markets inspired by European Christmas markets. They offer a cozy, festive atmosphere. I’m not sure if they’re meant to give European visitors a sense of home or simply provide Japanese locals with a taste of Europe during the holidays, but they’re delightful to visit. These markets are tucked into courtyards and other small spaces, so you often have to search for them rather than stumbling upon them.
Lastly, the holiday light displays are spectacular. People gather in parks and other public spaces to see the lights come on at a designated time—usually around 5:30 PM. When the lights illuminate, there’s an audible “wow” from the crowd, and then everyone strolls through the park, admiring the displays. It’s fascinating to see how Japan has adopted Christmas traditions from other cultures and made them uniquely their own.”
The big day is fast approaching so stay tuned for more festive inspiration and things to do over the holidays! If you’d like to know more about travel in Japan, check out our itinerary for next years adventure and get in touch if you have any questions.
If you’ve missed any of the other posts, catch up on all the previous days of our 12 Days of an Adventures with Sarah Christmas here.
