Christmas in Japan

So, Japanese people are just as crazy as (if not crazier than) Americans when it comes to Christmas.

Literally, the day after Halloween ended, the Christmas decorating started. That means that there are two straight months of decking the halls, roasting chestnuts and all around spreading of Yule tide joy. And let's not forget about the traditional "putting of the plastic cast KFC Colonel into the Santa costume." What joy... What glee...


Starting the Christmas season the day after Halloween might seem ridiculous (and it definitely is), but please bear in mind that the Japanese don't have Thanksgiving. There are no other holidays to fend off that pesky Christmas spirit. In America, people are too tired from eating turkey, stuffing, pie, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, butter, corn, heavy whipping cream etc. etc. (you get the picture of gluttony I'm trying to paint here don't you?) to put up that Christmas tree. But anyone who has ever eaten Chinese food knows how quickly you get hungry after eating rice. The Christmas spirit burns like a hunger deep inside these people and nothing will slow them down. They are amazingly efficient when it comes to holidays. They are like Santa's worker ants...

So far, I love Christmas in Japan... not only because there are inflatable Santas adorning the gates of love hotels, but also because the reasons for celebrating Christmas in Japan seem more "pure" here. Since most people in Japan aren't Christians, the season is almost entirely market-driven (yes, maybe even MORE market driven than in America!). It is a western holiday that was adopted by Japan pretty much only due to the fact that Japanese people love presents and cute stuff. At least they know what they like. And if I've learned anything over here so far, the Japanese people will work tirelessly to perfect things they like (manga, ramen, karaoke, J-Pop, convenience stores, etc. etc.).

more pictures will be coming... I want to get a good picture of the Santa by the love hotel at night, when the neon is lit up...