Every time Christmas comes around, I wonder. Why do Japanese people celebrate Christmas?
It is a very strange thing. The population of Christians in Japan is less than two million. That's 0.8% of the population. This is quite low even among Asian countries. For example, even in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country with a population of 250 million, there are 23 million Christians, or nearly 10%.
Most Japanese people do not think of Christmas as an event to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Of course, I am aware of the biblical origins of this holiday. Even non-religious Japanese are aware of the basic concept of Christmas.
But they accept Christmas as one of the annual events that came from the West. Quite frankly, it's just a way to enjoy the festive atmosphere. Christianity is very flexible and tolerates this kind of interpretation by the Japanese.
The Japanese are a race that excels at taking in the essence of things without having a deep connection with their origins. Valentine's Day and Halloween have also taken root in Japan with their own interpretations. When hip-hop became popular in the U.S., idol groups borrowed only its style and became very popular.
Christmas is originally a holy holiday celebrating the birth of the savior into the world. However, even in the U.S. and Europe, Christmas has long since become secularized. It has broken away from its original religious conventions. The Japanese have seen it and interpreted it in their own way. It is a joyous festive event.
Christmas in Japan is basically similar to that in the U.S. In December, the streets are lit up with lights, various Christmas events are held, shopping sales begin, and commerce is revitalized. However, there are some differences.
In Japan, people don't usually decorate their homes. Most decorations are limited to commercial and public facilities. Christmas gifts are small and mostly given to children by their families.
Also, Christmas in Japan has a strange uniqueness. Roast chicken on the bone is the standard dinner. Why do Japanese people eat chicken at Christmas? The answer is simple. In the U.S., we eat turkey, but in Japan, we don't have turkey, so we chose chicken as an alternative, and it has stuck.
In Japan, Christmas cake is a necessity. It is a huge business market move. I think this is very appropriate since we are celebrating the birthday of a saint. People in this country are surprised to hear that Americans don't eat much cake on Christmas. A Japanese Christmas cake is usually a white cream cake with strawberries on top. This is to match the image of snow and Santa Claus. How did this come about? It is the same as the Coca-Cola strategy in the United States. In the 1920's, when Christmas was beginning to take root in Japan, a major confectionery company started selling white strawberry cake for Christmas. It was a huge success. Since then, the image of eating strawberry cake on Christmas Day has taken root.
This uniqueness is not limited to Japan. In France, the mainstream cake is called Buche de Noel, which looks like a tree stump. In Germany, they celebrate with Stollen, a bread filled with dried fruits. In Italy, it is customary to bake a homemade bread called panettone. In England, people eat a type of cake known as a Christmas pudding. This is a baked good filled with nuts and dried fruits.
As you can see, there are many variations of Christmas meals in different countries. It is interesting that each country has its own Christmas traditions.
As a side note, young children in Japan believe in Santa Claus. But few children wonder why they get presents from an old foreign man. Do you think that is too convenient?
