Under what circumstances did a nominally religious holiday enter a non-Christian nation? And how did it change as a result? Here’s a look at Japanese Christmas traditions, how they came to be, and how they continue to change over time.
Japanese Christmas Traditions: More Christmas, Less Christ
Though Christianity was first introduced in Japan in the 16th century, the then-in-power Tokugawa Shogunate strictly forbade its practice. It was a foreign holiday – and the shogunate sought to limit foreign influence as much as it could.
However, the few foreigners (and even fewer Japanese converts at the time) who lived in Japan celebrated in private. Over time, the holiday spread little by little, albeit slowly.
It wasn’t until the Meiji period that Christmas in Japan gained more recognition in Japan. But it was reported as a rare and unusual year-end tradition of the foreigners. Finally, near the end of the Russo-Japanese war, more Japanese nationals began celebrating Christmas. It was – as then as now – more a pure celebration as opposed to an expression of religion.
As popularity spread, people began to learn more about Western-style Christmas celebrations. However, Christianity had no foothold in Japan. (To this day, only 1% of the country is Christian[2].) So, naturally, few people had any inclination to incorporate the holiday’s more religious overtones.
A Family Affair
It was around 1906 that Santa Claus (and tales of presents) first appeared in Japan’s Christmas coverage. This established Christmas more as a holiday “for the enjoyment of children”.
During the Showa Era (1926-1989), Japan’s youth culture integrated more Western concepts into Japanese culture. That’s when young adults started taking more interest in the celebration. Before that time, adults mainly gave small gifts to children.
However, the importance of family as a theme never quite made it to the same level as in the West. Christmas enjoyed a short boom in the 80s as an adult-friendly holiday. But soon after, it returned to being mostly for the children.
And then it became a couples holiday.
Have a Sexy, Sexy Christmas in Japan
Couples night joined the ranks of Japanese Christmas traditions in the late 80s. More adults began celebrating the holiday through dates and Christmas parties. As a result, Christmas ended up being an especially exciting time for couples.
Some experts say that the media also helped promote the holiday as a couple’s day. Depictions of happy couples celebrating Christmas together abounded on TV and in movies. Ad displays (no doubt driven by the desire to stoke sales) depicted couples giving each other gifts.
Christmas became somewhat comparable to Valentine’s Day. Indeed, some even christened it “the Valentine’s Day of Japan.”
Love Hotel Uptick
Most people know about Japan’s love hotels – hotels rentable by the hour and used primarily for sex. So you won’t bbe surprised to learn that, when Christmas became a couple’s holiday, love hotels reaped the whirlwind.
Love hotels also began to see a sharp increase on Christmas Eve. This trend further established the holiday as a special night for couples.
Because of this, some Christians have accused Japan of desecrating what was supposed to be a holy and sacred holiday. They maintain that it’s tantamount to disrespecting Christianity. But, again, we’re talking about a nation that’s barely 1% Christian[3]. And given the massive numbers of people who celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday anyhow, it’s rather a moot point.
Japanese Christmas Traditions: Christmas Kentucky
Then there’s the food. In America, Christmas holiday feasts are more or less mandatory. And the star of the day is usually ham or turkey. So I was taken aback when I realized the Japanese go-to Christmas staple was…Kentucky Fried Chicken?
I’ll admit, I laughed a bit when I heard this. As an American, a bucket of fried chicken makes me think of the Super Bowl. But as a special Christmas feast? I couldn’t imagine it! But sure enough, it was true. And I later found out there was a good reason why.
The tradition started around 1974. Westerners living in Japan realized that ham and turkeys were hard to find in Japan. So they opted for chicken as the next closest thing. In response, KFC started Christmas-themed campaigns aimed first primarily at Westerners. Little did they know how much popularity it would gain, not just with the foreigners, but Japanese nationals as well. After all, fried chicken fits in well with Japan’s love of fried foods, or karaage. To this day, it remains the most popular go-to staple dish for the holidays.
Nowadays, many KFCs around Japan offer special holiday meal sets, which must be reserved in advance.
Let Them Eat Cake
Another Japanese Christmas tradition is none other than adorably decorated…cakes!
I was a little surprised at just how big of a deal Christmas cakes were. Practically every shop and bakery window sported some of the cutest and fanciest displays of cakes I’d ever seen.
The company Fujiya popularized Christmas cakes during Japan’s Taisho era. One of the founders, upon visiting the US, grew a liking for a Christmas fruitcake that he ate there. As a result, he launched a campaign to bring these cakes to Japan. They became so popular that the Christmas cake is now considered the staple Japanese Christmas dessert[4].
The most common Christmas cakes are strawberry shortcakes and sponge cakes. Creators adorn them with buttercream or whipped topping and decorate them with fruit. (Many also add little Santa ornaments.) This ensures that cakes stay true to the Christmas color scheme of red and white.
Japanese Christmas Traditions: Winter Wonderlands
Finally, and possibly my favorite of the Japanese Christmas traditions, is the wildly popular holiday-themed fancy lighting displays.
Illumination ( イルミネーション ) viewing is one of the most common and popular holiday activities in Japan. And with good reason. Many homes don’t put up trees due to lack of decorations (though mopre households have taken to buying small trees). But these beautiful illuminations more than make up for it.
TheiIlluminations are extravagantly organized lighting arrangements that creators install in various locations around the city. They range from stationary displays and decorated trees and storefronts to exciting, larger-scale light shows. The most extravagant sport moving pieces and accompanying music.
Historians say that Christmas lights took off in Japan during the Meiji Era. In other words, they came up with other Japanese Christmas traditions. They’ve grown in popularity with the development of technology such as LED lights and projection mapping[5].
Nowadays, you can’t escape bombastic ads at Christmas for illumination festivals. Some installations even compete for rank based on their innovation and display. As one might expect, some of the most popular illumination displays are found in crowded city areas such as Shibuya and Roppongi. Another popular destination (and a personal favorite) is the long row of decorated trees lining the shopping streets of Omotesando.
Conclusion
Living in Japan for several years, I enjoye d many unique and interest experiences. But there was none other quite like Christmas. I was admittedly skeptical and reluctant to join in at first. But I gradually learned more about the history and reasoning behind the different traditions. As a result, I came to appreciate Japanese Christmas traditions. They’re yet another great aspect of what makes Japan such a unique and wonderful country.
Initially, I’d worried that homesickness would kick in and prevent me from enjoying my holiday there. But I’m pleased to say that quite the opposite happened. Celebrating Christmas with my Japanese friends was an amazing experience. And it’s one I can’t wait to repeat again!
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Sources
[1] クリスマスの日本と海外の違い！本場にはこんなに違った！！trend-town
[2] 日本の宗教. Wikipedia JP
[3] 【クリスマス＝恋人と過ごす日】なぜ？日本に影響を与えた謎に迫る！Suimoamaimo
[4] クリスマスになぜケーキを食べるのか？Shun no Wadai
[5] イルミネーションの歴史って？日本ではいつから始まったの？Shend-Trend
