"I'm dreaming of a Japanese Christmas..."

"Santa Claus is coming to town", goes the popular Christmas ditty. Well, if he comes to Tokyo this year, he's sure to be in for a few surprises!! Here, JMI investigates some of the ways in which Christmas has 'evolved' in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Well for one thing, Christmas is not a holiday in Japan. So, while you're feasting on Xmas pudding and turkey with all the trimmings this year, please spare a seasonal thought for your Japan-based counterparts. More than likely they'll be preparing questionnaires, analyzing data and watching end-of-December deadlines loom!

It's also safe to say that Christmas, as a concept, is not terribly well understood in Japan. In the blunder to end all cultural blunders, a prominent department store once allegedly erected a Christmas display of a Santa nailed to a cross! May be a few copies of 'Christmas For Dummies' would be the ideal stocking-filler for Santa to bring along on his trip to Tokyo...

So what's the historical context to this lack of understanding: Well it all started when a Spanish Jesuit missionary named St. Francis Xavier brought Christmas to Japan in 1549. It was outlawed around 100 years later and practiced clandestinely until 1854. Christmas sales 'took off' in the 1930s and there was renewed interest after the U.S. occupation in 1945. That said, at present the number of Christians in Japan is estimated at less than 1% of the total population, with Shinto and Buddhism being the prevailing religions.

		So how does this explain that a walk through any one of Japan's major centers from early November onwards will reveal intricate displays of Christmas decorations, piped-in Christmas music, strings of lights decorating the houses, Christmas trees in abundance and poinsettias. Well the answer lies in one word: "Commercialization". Sorry, that should read "Hyper-Commercialization"! A few manifestations we'll share:
deep-fried turkey?

	Christmas cake, Japanese-style

Christmas Cakes: Yes, important. A typical Japanese 'salary man' (company worker) will purchase one on the way home on Christmas Eve (or his wife will perform this duty if he is 'held up at the office').

And the family will devour it forthwith. Note, prices drop drastically after 25th so that everything is sold by 26th. This has lead to the description of young girls as "Christmas cakes"; marriageable until their 25th birthdays but only with a 'major discount' thereafter!!

Gifts: Yes, there is often the exchange of gifts among young couples.

These tend to be expensive but will almost certainly be 'cute'. A teddy bear, flowers or a scarf will probably do but jewelry will help to deliver a 'stronger' message.

Parents will give presents to their children but not the reverse. The rationale: only Santa brings presents so once children grow up and no longer believe in him, so no more presents. Makes sense, doesn't it?!

Plenty of rooms at this inn...

Romantic Events (a.k.a. sex) Yes, and plenty of it!!

You see Christmas Eve is portrayed in the media as a time for romantic miracles. So, fancy restaurants and hotels are often booked solid and couples might choose the occasion to reveal their affections to one another.

But the romantic bliss is generally consummated in one of the numerous 'Love Hotels'.


Here, you might be directed by scantily-clad female elves to rooms complete with Christmas trees and life-size reindeer watching the proceedings with interest. In short, it is crucial for most singles to have a date on Christmas Eve and the more gorgeous and romantic the better

Entertainment: Yes, for elderly couples (or those without a date!), many hotels host dinner shows featuring major singers, actors, and actresses. And Japan has adopted Beethoven's Ninth Symphony as its unofficial seasonal anthem. Known as Daikyu, or Great Nine, it is performed endlessly, sometimes with huge massed choruses for the famous part which American Christians sing as a hymn -Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee.

	Good King Wireless ...la la la

Mass Merchandising: Yes, especially as retailers try to achieve product differentiation using a Christmas theme.

Examples include: nuns singing advertising jingles to the tune of Christmas carols, Colonel Sanders dressed in a Santa outfit (as KFC promoted fried chicken as the "traditional" Christmas meal), elves decorating bottles of sake (Japanese rice wine) and the Virgin Mary appearing on Christmas cards on a broomstick.

Dogs: Yes, Japanese canines also benefit from a unique Japanese Christmas tradition. First, there are the Christmas sales and the concept of the Fukubukuro. Roughly translated, this means 'bag of happiness' and is a sealed bag containing mystery gifts (usually unsold Christmas items) for which customers may pay around US$ 250. The 'lucky dip' affect appeals to customers and the value of the gifts will generally exceed what has been paid. But there's more!!! Leading supermarket operators are now offering 'bags of happiness' for man's best friend containing such goodies as sleeping mats, brushes, chocolate snacks and other delicacies.

So, Santa, Japan's interest in the West, a fascination with festivals and an irrepressible retail industry have come together to transform Christmas into variation on St. Valentine's Day! Just another example of why modern Japan is such a wildly different and fascinating society.

Happy Holidays and Season's Greetings.