Christmas & Christmas Eve

Although most Japanese are not Christians, Christmas has become increasingly popular in recent years. However, instead of celebrating on Christmas Day, the holiday is mainly celebrated on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, many couples and families go out for dinner or celebrate with a feast at home.

One of the most notable things about Christmas in Japan is the fried chicken dinner from KFC. Christmas in Japan is synonymous with KFC over the years and has become an essential staple for Japanese Christmas Dinner. Every Christmas holiday, hundreds of thousands of families pre-order their fried chicken dinner sets from KFC weeks in advance.

Dinner is usually followed with a delicious Christmas Cake. The cake is usually covered in white whipped cream and decorated beautifully with strawberries and often miniature Santa figurines. Sharing Christmas cake with family and loved ones is one of the holiday's biggest highlights.

Illumination is also a big part of Christmas in Japan. Many cities, especially the more populated touristy areas like Tokyo Skytree or Tokyo Tower, are beautifully lit by thousands of Christmas lights. Illumination areas are very popular among young couples during Christmas time. Most illumination shows begin before the official holiday starts, and runs for a few days after to let couples and families enjoy the beautiful show at their leisure during the winter.

Bring your special-someone to Japan during winter to join in the Christmas celebration with Japan Deluxe Tours. While you may not be able to grab a bucket of fried chicken without a pre-order, enjoy a delicious Christmas Cake while on a Winter Discovery vacation or with our Private Tour packages!