For our Fox Rent A Car Christmas Around the World series, we are taking you to Japan to discover how in this amazing Asian country celebrates this holiday. So keep reading for a trip around the world with a cheery holiday taste of a different culture.
Christmas in Japan: Decorations
In the cities, lights show that the holiday season has arrived. They put them up at the beginning of November. However, as New Year is the most important celebration, the lights are changed to more traditional decoration on the 25th of December announcing the New Year.
Some families decorate a Christmas tree as well. But the ornaments are usually lanterns, paper ornaments, and the most important one is the origami swan, which represents the bird of peace.
Christmas in Japan: Food
Chicken is the main dish for the Christmas meal in Japan. It is pretty extraordinary to see that KFC (yes, Kentucky Fried Chicken) has become one of the most popular places for them to get their chicken for Christmas dinner. For desert they have a special Christmas cake: white cream cake with strawberries. It is always the father of the family who buys the cake on Christmas Eve. But the most popular way to celebrate Christmas Eve in Japan is to eat out. It has become an important “date night”, kind of like a second Valentine’s day. As it is perceived as a romantic holiday, that you should spend with your loved one, people make reservation to eat out, eat chicken.
Christmas in Japan: Songs
There are no specific Christmas hymns. Most of the Christmas music is found in stores and mostly American Christmas songs. You can find Jingle Bells, White Christmas and other popular Christmas songs translated to Japanese or performed by popular Japanese artists on street stages. Certain schools also organize special shows on Christmas Eve, where the children sing and perform for their parents.
Christmas in Japan: Presents
Family members exchange presents on Christmas Eve. Also, teachers or employers… can give a gift to students or employees to reward their hard work. For younger kids, the Hoteiosho a Buddhist monk, the Japanese version of Santa Clause, brings the presents. Because of the romantic meaning associated to Christmas in Japan, a lot of the presents are also “romantic”. They are usually a bit more expensive such as jewelry, and similar gifts exchanged on Valentine’s day in the US. .
Thought Christmas in Japan has a very different meaning than our typical Christmas, they still celebrate it and have some of the same traditions we have.
