Ok. This comes up a lot and I kind of covered this topic in my Winter in Tokyo with kids blog post but it’s time I talk about christmas on it’s own.
Japan for Christmas can be special BUT you kind of need to put in the effort to make christmas feel christmassy in Japan.
So I recommend going down one of two routes if you’re spending christmas with your family in Japan– you can:
1) Put in the effort to make it feel as cheesy christmassy as possible
OR
2) Decide to make it truly unique and create “remember that wild christmas in Japan?!!” memories all together.
Christmas is not a holiday celebrated in Japan.
I mean, it is in a commercial sense (the shops and some streets will be decorated with trees or green and white and red) BUT it is business as usual on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (a very homesick me during high school in countryside found this out the hard way. I was also had to put on my big girl pants as a corporate girl working in Japan when the office ran completely as normal.) Also, much like some places in Europe, Christmas Eve, to many Japanese people is “Christmas Day.” So it’s not uncommon for shopping malls to take down their christmas decorations on Christmas Day.
For most Japanese people, the New Year’s holidays are the really special ones – and are also considered the time to spend with family.
Christmas Eve is kind of more like Japanese Valentines day
I’m from Australia and christmas, for us, is all about family. In Japan, spending Christmas Eve with your family would be seen as really weird.
Christmas Eve in Japan – it is really hard to get a table at a fancy restaurant or a nice hotel with a pretty view. Maybe it’s because of those cheesy christmas rom-coms ? But for some reason it is seen as one of the most romantic times of year for young couples.
A friend of mine recently was in Tokyo for Christmas with her young family and asked me to book a nice restaurant for her – she said they couldn’t stop laughing as the entire restaurant was just filled with young couples!
In Japan, “first Christmas food that comes to mind” is Christmas (vanilla sponge with strawberries) Cake and KFC
Kentucky Fried Chicken is reserved weeks in advance for young families or couples or students to eat on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve. My guess is that, once again, people have seen American Christmas movies where there is a large turkey or roast chicken on the table. Now, in Japan, sourcing that amount of meat is expensive AND most people in Japan don’t own ovens (unless it’s like a little toaster oven) – so KFC is perhaps the closest thing?
How to order KFC for Christmas in Japan?
Note: KFC is called “Kentucky” in Japan – if you say KFC to a Japanese person they won’t know what you mean.
Although KFC Japan has made an official announcement of when reservations open – many Japanese sites predict that Nov 1 – Dec 9 (Dec 9 is the final day to order!) will the order period for Christmas.
It is not possible to order from the KFC special christmas menu in Japan on Christmas Day.
Reservations can be made on the Kentucky Fried Chicken Japan website from Nov 1 – in Japanese only. You then select your pick up store and pick up time.
A christmas “barrell” at KFC is usually 4000-5000 yen.
Note: it’s not a whole chicken.
As for the Christmas Cake in Japan?
I think it’s because it is christmas colours?
These cakes can be preordered at the convenience store or be purchased in the basement floor of most department stores (like Daimaru or Takashimaya etc.) The cakes are yummy and the perfect amount of not-too-sweet. For me- they look just like picture book cakes – and aren’t that “christmassy” but- there really is never a bad time for cake, right?
Another idea: (especially for my Nordic readers…) Ikea in Japan can be an easy place to find decorations, mulled wine and cookies.
Winter Illuminations are not actually for Christmas but they feel close enough to christmas vibes for me!
So I recommend going to as many as possible. In Tokyo, I like Keiyakizaka Christmas lights in Roppongi and then also around the back of Tokyo Midtown Roppongi too. Last year there was also a pop-up ice-skating rink there too.
German Christmas Markets are a thing in Japan
Search for your closest option – there is a big one in Yokohama, several in Tokyo as well as most major cities. Christmas Carols are played and there are christmas decorations. You can also buy hot chocolate and german sausages etc. I, personally, find Japanese versions of Christmas Markets to not be that great but … if you really want christmas vibes – it might scratch that itch? Some christmas markets have craft markets etc so that can be a bit cute.
Disney and USJ are the most American Style Christmassy options
Whenever I’ve felt homesick at Christmas time in Japan, Disney and Universal Studios always makes me happy. They have a big tree, lots of christmas merch, the whole parks are decorated and christmas carols play all day long. Warning – I would go NEAR christmas and not ON christmas or christmas eve as they can be really busy with couples (for the reasons I mentioned above.). You can always use a Disney crowd prediction calendar to see what the crowds are looking like ahead of time.
Japanese Christmas Cards are Elite
Buy as many as you can! My favourite places to buy them are at Department Stores LOFT and HANDS. Big department stores also have great options – as do the Sanrio stores.
Okay… so going back to my two routes I suggest take when it comes to Christmas in Japan
1) Put in the effort to make it feel as cheesy christmassy as possible
OR
2) Decide to make it truly unique and create “remember that wild christmas in Japan?!!” memories all together.
Option 1) Put in the effort to make it feel as cheesy christmassy – and as much like your christmas at home- as possible.
If you’d prefer to do it this way –
– bring stockings and other christmas themed “musts” from home. You can buy some decorations at Don Quijote if you’d like but in case they don’t have what you want – best be prepared.
–Stay at an apartment hotel with a kitchen and cook as much as you can yourself (remember to make use of international supermarkets and bring some spices etc from home.) Local supermarkets Seijo Ishii and Kaldi might also have some of what you’re looking for.
-Go online and research international supermarkets such as National Azabu (the deliver nationwide now) to see if you can source a chicken or a turkey
– Instead of cooking, book (as far in advance as you can) Christmas dinner at a big brand hotel in a bigger city in Japan – the Hiltons and Hyatts often do a christmas buffet but it does book out early. I also recommend looking at the websites of Irish and English pubs near you as they often have Christmas dinner plates and a band playing etc.
-In Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto – many of the big brand hotels decorate sections of their lobbies for Christmas
– Go to disney christmas eve-eve and make sure you’ve filled your cup with cheesy American christmas cheer
-Visit Christmas illuminations on Christmas night
-Look into getting a VPN and watching your favourite Christmas programs live from home?
-Go to Dean & Deluca for their iced Christmas cookies! So cute.
-I’m happy to share one of our christmas family traditions – we make Christmas themed pizzas on xmas eve. You can buy little pizza bases and all other ingredients at any Seijo Ishii supermarket and then, if you’ve booked a hotel with a small kitchen you can pop them in the toaster oven. It’s a cute thing that we love to do (warning – Santa often comes out of the oven looking like Freddy Kruger so take pics beforehand!)
*Please note that a photo with Santa is nearly impossible in Japan. If this is one of your family traditions – please do this before coming to Japan. Even if you do find Santa it’s usually a guy in a flimpsy cheap costume with a stuck on beard and doesn’t quite fit the bill for me!
Option 2) Decide to make it truly unique and create “remember that wild christmas in Japan?!!” memories all together.
I think this is so much fun when people do this. They fully embrace the “well we aren’t at home so they make this count!” approach.
Here are some suggestions:
– How about doing it Japanese style and pre-ordering KFC and a Japanese-style christmas cake and playing carols in your hotel room instead? (Ice-cream Christmas cakes at Baskin Robbins are also cute.)
-Or how about just keeping it so Japanese by going out for a lush sushi lunch or somewhere for Shabu Shabu and Sukiyaki (many of them are all you can eat meat, veggies, salad, curry and ice-cream- I have lots of these recommended on my blog). Or just how about a restaurant that is normally not in your restaurant budget but you can splurge because it is Christmas!!
– Instead, why not take advantage of the fact that everything is open on Christmas Day? Go to Karaoke? Rent Kimono and have a photoshoot? Book a Yakatabune! Do a cooking class?!
-How about a family Christmas Shopping Spree Challenge? Everyone goes to the biggest 100 yen or 300 yen store and must find a gift for others in their family? They can do one serious and one lovely gift for each person. So cute!
-May I also suggest getting some Christmas team Purikura (the photobooth stickers)?
-Stay at a hotel with a Fuji view or do a family activity together with a gorgeous Mt Fuji backdrop (Winter is the best and easiest time to capture Fuji in all her glory!)
-Or how about going to see some snow from Tokyo?
You can really “choose your own adventure” when it comes to Christmas in Japan!
How about participating in a Christmas Kimono Bauble workshop? (doesn’t have to be christmas actually – you could use it however you like) The baubles are made of repurposed kimono. They are great for kids or adults.
BikuDesigns creates truly unique pieces for a living! She uses vintage kimono fabrics and repurposes them into stunning pieces of jewellery. These make the ideal gift or Japan memento for some self-gifting too!
The best way to see, hunt down and contact Bikudesigns is via her Bikudesigns instagram (to follow and stay up-to-date with their movements, pop-up shops and new pieces. ) Go here to start shopping on the Bikudesigns website .
She also has the most lovely youtube channel called “Studio Biku.”
See here for information on what is closed and open in Tokyo for the New Year Holiday period.
See here for information like this but for Halloween!
