CHRISTMAS IN JAPAN: KFC AND CHRISTMAS CAKE...

Christmas in Japan is - like many things in this country - different!

On the surface, nothing seems to set it apart from Western countries: Stores deck the halls with boughs of holly, baubles and all of that, and carols float out over the speakers wherever you go. There are beautifully illuminated Christmas trees, and you can find roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and all of the other ingredients for a winter wonderland, at least in the capital (and if you know where to look).

But when you dig a little deeper, you will soon notice that religion plays no part in Christmas here, it's not about family, and it's not even a holiday!

One of the things I appreciate in Japan is the very flexible approach when it comes to religion. Throughout the typical life of a Japanese person, they will in fact go to three different religious places depending on the occasion:

To celebrate certain festivals (such as 'Shichi-go-san', which literally means '7-5-3' and celebrates children having reached those respective ages), families will typically visit a Shinto shrine.

Weddings are often done in churches (often in faux churches specifically built for the sole purpose of holding wedding ceremonies).

And funerals are often held in Buddhist temples.

But while some religious places lend themselves to certain occasions more than others, personal preference can also play a role. Flexibility is the key word. A concept I very much like.

The downside of this is that Christmas (except for a tiny minority of Christians) is not being celebrated for its true reasons, but is in fact more like 'Valentine's Day with the trimmings of Christmas'...

I already indicated that Christmas here is not about family. In fact, it's for lovers! Christmas Eve is seen as probably the most romantic day of the year for couples and lovers to spend time together. While on my home planet, Switzerland, you will be hard pressed to find a restaurant that is actually open on Christmas Eve (because everyone wants to spend the evening with family), in Japan it means big business, as it's the day for dating. And while Christmas gifts are rarely exchanged among family members, what is common is for lovers to prepare and exchange romantic gifts.

People do give presents to each other at this time of year, but they are in fact year-end gifts (so-called 'o-seibo' ), which is a long-standing tradition in Japan, and with an entire industry built around it. The underlying idea is to show gratitude towards those who showed support and kindness over the course of the year, so they may be given to business clients, a landlord, or also to relatives.

Typically the gifts consist of consumables, and some of the favourite items include beer, ham, sausages or premium cooking oils, all packed in fancy boxes and wrapped with a special piece of paper (so-called 'noshigami' ) that clearly identifies the gift as an 'o-seibo'.

In the past, this was not just a tradition, but in fact an obligation, but there are signs that it may be slowly fading, mainly for two reasons:

Companies nowadays have stricter compliance rules and limit the amount that can be spent on gifts to third parties, and there are restrictions on what can be accepted.

Also, the practice is seen as a burden by younger generations, who seem to favour more personal gifts to friends or family, out of their free will and not out of obligation.

One could say there is a bit of a silent revolution going on in this respect, with year-end gifts gradually morphing into Christmas presents... At least in the big cities. In the countryside, people are more eager to hold on to old traditions.

And what about all the parties that fill up restaurants around this time of year? No, they are not Christmas parties, but year-end parties, so-called 'bonenkai', which literally translates into 'forget the year gathering'.

I always wondered why they are called that, because I personally feel that I may want to reflect on the past year, but not necessarily forget about it. During the last couple of years, though, that seemed rather appropriate, as with Covid, there was in fact a lot that was best forgotten. Ironically, the parties couldn't be held then, exactly because of the pandemic...

So, for all intents and purposes, Christmas doesn't officially exist in Japan.

Mind you, things may have panned out very differently if St. Francis Xavier, the first Christian missionary to set foot on the archipelago in 1549, had had his way!

But while he did have some limited success in converting Japanese people to Christianity (reflected in today's tiny 1% minority of Christians), the land's Buddhist and Shinto religions won out, although it is believed that the first Christmas celebrations were held shortly after his arrival here.

But a few decades later, the shogun, growing increasingly suspicious of Christianity, simply banned the religion and ordered the persecution of practitioners. And along with that, Christmas was essentially cancelled.

It was not until the late 19th century that Japan re-opened its doors after centuries of enforced self-isolation, which brought along with it big changes in society and religious freedom. And so Santa Claus was back in town!

At least for a short while, because during the World War II, all things deemed American (and that included Christmas) were frowned upon, and so Christmas pretty much disappeared again, until the post-war period, when the American influence on culture steadily grew and Christmas suddenly exploded into a popular event embraced by the nation, though putting their own spin on it!

Japanese Christmas made a splash as a purely secular event, and with Christmas traditions not seen anywhere else in the world, such as 'Christmas cake' and 'KFC chicken'. I realise this may bear some explanation for those not in the know:

The Japanese 'Christmas cake' is typically a strawberry shortcake with white icing and is so ubiquitous at this time of year that you can literally find it anywhere, and you need to either order well in advance or queue up in order to get your hands on one. It is no coincidence that the red and white colours match those of the Japanese flag: The cake basically symbolises the rebound of the nation after a gruelling war and its economic success in the post-war years. Still today, it is a central feature of Christmas celebrations and usually eaten on Christmas Eve.

So what's with KFC then? Well, the story goes that a KFC store manager in the 70s (who later went on to become CEO of KFC Japan) came up with a brilliant marketing campaign to promote KFC chicken at Christmas. And it totally caught on. It obviously helped that Japan didn't have any specific Christmas food the nation could identify with, and that turkey was (and still is) rather difficult to come by. And so, millions of Japanese have made this their holiday meal of choice and order their 'finger-licking-good' chicken months in advance. Most likely followed by a slice of Christmas cake...

But then you can also find more 'familiar' Christmas traditions in Japan, especially in the capital:

Illuminations, for one: Probably among the most spectacular around the world, and with every year they get bigger and more elaborate, and they attract masses of people!

Then there are the German-style Christmas markets: There are several in Tokyo, and while each of them occupies a comparatively small area in contrast to the original ones in Europe (simply because there is not more space available in Tokyo), they are just as endearing - but usually also packed with people!

And finally, there is Tokyo Disneyland, offering a truly fantastic Disney-style Christmas, with fireworks, Christmas parades, giveaways and a special Christmas menu (with Christmas cake?). A great place for families with children - as well as for 'big kids' - to enjoy!

Which then leaves the question about Santa: Is he part of Christmas in Japan? Oh yes, very much so. He is present in shopping malls and pretty much everywhere he can help generate revenue during this jolly season. But you would have a hard time convincing Japanese kids that Santa Claus comes through the chimney to deliver the gifts - simply because Japanese houses don't have a chimney!

I wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas from Tokyo!