“Does Japan celebrate Christmas?”, “How is Valentine’s Day celebrated in Japan?”, etc. are common questions asked by many people curious about Japan. In this article, we introduce how Western holidays are celebrated in Japan.
Table of Contents
- Western Holidays in Japan
- Christmas in Japan
- Halloween in Japan
- Valentine’s Day in Japan
- Other Western Celebrations in Japan
- To Close
Western Holidays in Japan
The first Western holiday to be brought over to Japan was Christmas together with the spread of Christianity by missionaries in Japan during the Edo period. However, in the year 1614, Christianity became banned by the Edo Shogunate, and religious celebrations of Christmas came to a halt. Only the gift-giving culture of Christmas remained, and it became a practice that did not tie in with religion.
During the Meiji Restoration period, the ban on Christianity and Japan’s self-isolation policy were lifted. Citizens were free to practice any religion, and Christians were no longer prosecuted. Christmas could now be celebrated as a religious holiday, but the strong gift culture overwhelmed the religious aspects, and nowadays many non-Christian Japanese celebrate Christmas.
As for the other Western holidays that are celebrated in Japan now, like Valentine’s Day and Halloween, they were gradually introduced from the 1950s onwards and in the 2000s. Many (or all) of these celebrations are heavily commercialized but no less fun to participate. In recent years, even OktoberFest and St. Patrick’s Day celebrations have gained popularity and are celebrated in Japan.
※ Stony Brook University, “How are Western holidays Interpreted and celebrated in Japan? ”
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Christmas in Japan
Christmas in Japan is celebrated quite differently than other countries. For one, it is neither a religious holiday (except for Christians) nor a public holiday. Heavily commercialised, the gift giving culture during Christmas in Japan is a strong one. Many shops market Christmas themed goods as presents, and even supermarkets and restaurants join in with Christmas menus, food, and drinks.
Speaking about Christmas food, roast turkey and glazed ham is the classic Christmas food in many countries, but in Japan, we do fried chicken for Christmas, specifically KFC fried chicken. This is because of extremely successful advertising by KFC.
In Japan, Christmas is usually celebrated by couples and friends, Christians, and families with young children. Christmas Eve is the most romantic day for couples, more so than Valentine’s Day.
Where Valentine’s Day in Japan is the day for confessions, Christmas Eve is the day for a romantic date as a couple. After spending Christmas Eve with your partner, Christmas Day is spent with family.
Other highlights of Christmas in Japan are the winter illuminations, giant Christmas trees decorating malls, Christmas markets, and Christmas cakes.
Halloween in Japan
Halloween in Japan is mostly celebrated by young adults looking to dress-up and party. It is a popular event and can be considered a part of Japanese pop culture. The highlight of Halloween in Japan is Halloween parades, where thousands of people in costume gather to party and drink all night long. This could be on Halloween Day itself on October 31st, or the weekend leading up to it. Shibuya is a particularly popular Halloween gathering spot that draws in large crowds.
Trick-or-treating, the Halloween custom of costumed children going door to door collecting candy, is not practised in Japan. However, kindergarten and nursery schools do hold small Halloween parties where young children can dress up in their favourite costumes to play games and eat sweets.
Other highlights of Halloween in Japan are the spooky Halloween themed desserts like pumpkin pastries & desserts, Halloween events at theme parks, parties, and Halloween decorations.
Valentine’s Day in Japan
Valentine’s Day in Japan is very different from Western Valentine’s Day. It was first introduced in Japan in 1936 by a chocolate company attempting to increase sales but did not kick-off till the 1950s when the same company made heart-shaped chocolates and advertised giving chocolate for Valentine’s Day. The advertising campaign was incredibly successful and many other stores picked up on it, so much so that Valentine’s Day in Japan became centred around chocolate, as opposed to Western Valentine’s Day that includes roses, stuffed toys, and romantic dinners.
In Japan, Valentine’s Day is when women give chocolates to men. There are several types of Valentine’s chocolates; for confessions of love or to a romantic partner, obligatory chocolate to colleagues and acquaintances, friendship chocolate to friends, family chocolate to family, and in recent times, chocolate to yourself as a treat and for self-appreciation.
You may think it unfair that only men get chocolates for Valentine’s in Japan. Well, 1 month after Valentine’s Day in Japan is White Day, when recipients of chocolate on Valentine’s Day “answer” back. White candy or sweets like white chocolate and marshmallows are usually given to match the theme of White Day. In recent times, any practical gift is accepted. There is no obligation to give something back, but it would be a nice gesture of appreciation.
Other Western Celebrations in Japan
Now that we have covered the most popular and largely celebrated Western holidays in Japan, let’s look at some others that, though celebrated, are smaller in scale.
Oktoberfest in Japan
※ The legal age to drink alcohol in Japan is 20. Drinking and driving is illegal in Japan.
Oktoberfest is an annual festival celebrated in Munich, Baravia, Germany. It is held over a 2 week period in October, thus its name. Originally a horse race to celebrate a wedding, it is now a big part of German culture to enjoy beer and festivities.
In Japan, Oktoberfest was first held in October 2003 at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse. Prior to that, there was a similar event called “German Festival” held in May which was subsequently renamed to Oktoberfest. Oktoberfest in Japan is not only held in October, but spans across several months, usually April till October.
There is not much significance to Oktoberfest celebrations in Japan. It is heavily commercialised with the main point to enjoy and consume German beer and food. It is a great excuse to drink heavily, and a great event to have fun with friends.
For more information about Oktoberfest events in Japan, check https://www.oktober-fest.jp/.
※ Oktoberfest, “オクトーバーフェストとは”
St. Patrick’s Day in Japan
Saint Patrick’s Day is a Christian celebration that originated from Ireland. Celebrated on the 17th of March, it is a day to remember the country’s patron saint, Saint Patrick. The celebrations include wearing green and shamrock, drinking Irish beer and whiskey, and parades.
In Japan, St. Patrick’s Day was first celebrated in 1992 having been introduced by Irish Network Japan with support from the Irish Embassy in Japan. The main purpose being to promote Irish culture among the Japanese. St. Patrick’s is celebrated across Japan in Irish pubs, while grand parades are mainly held in the Tokyo area. The parade in Yoyogi Park is particularly popular with attendees numbering thousands.
© 2023 Irish Network Japan
Compared to other Western celebrations in Japan, St. Patrick’s Day in Japan closely resembles the original celebrations in Ireland. Both Japanese and foreign nationals join the parade wearing green and shamrock, and Irish food and drinks are enjoyed. St. Patrick’s Day in Japan is usually celebrated on the same day as Ireland, March 17, or the weekend before.
You can visit Irish Network Japan’s website for more information about the parade and a listing of Irish pubs in Japan: https://inj.or.jp/?lang=en.
※ The legal age to drink alcohol in Japan is 20. Drinking and driving is illegal in Japan.
To Close
The beginning of Western celebrations in Japan started with Christmas in the Edo period. Thereafter, following Japan’s Westernization during the Meiji Restoration period and the changing of times, more and more Western holidays were adopted and modified to suit Japanese culture. The most popular Western celebrations in Japan are Christmas, Halloween and Valentine’s, but there are more. When visiting or living in Japan, why not take the opportunity to experience Japan’s unique way of celebrating these holidays.
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