‘Unlike anywhere else’: How KFC became this Japan’s Christmas tradition

Christmas may not be a national holiday in this country, but people still celebrate it in a very unique way.

Eating Kentucky Fried Chicken is such a popular Christmas tradition in Japan that some people order their feast months in advance to avoid waiting in huge lines.

The tradition kicked off in 1974 when the fast food giant launched a marketing campaign called “Kentucky for Christmas” (“Kurisumasu ni wa Kentakkii”).

The story goes ... a foreign customer visited KFC in Tokyo on Christmas Day and complained about not being able to get turkey in Japan and being left no choice but to celebrate with KFC. A sales team member overheard the remark and it became inspiration for the campaign, which originally featured a bucket of chicken and bottle of wine.

The idea was to promote Christmas parties at home that could be enjoyable for adults, as such celebrations at the time were known for the purpose of entertaining kids.

The campaign was such a hit, KFC at Christmas became a part of Japanese culture. Christmas Eve (December 24) is the busiest day of the year for KFC Japan and preorders start as early as late October.

Christmas is not a national holiday in Japan and it is not celebrated for religious reasons as only about one per cent of the population are Christians.

But there is still a lot happening this time of year – in addition to a KFC feast.

Japan Rail Pass owner Haroun Khan says the nation’s “little quirks” make it a great time for travellers to visit if they want “a fresh twist on the holiday”.

“Christmas in Japan is unlike anywhere else in the world,” Mr Khan said. “Couples celebrate romance, friends gather for special meals, and you can enjoy treats like strawberry Christmas cakes that are unique to Japan. And, of course, the famous tradition of Christmas fried chicken from KFC.”

Even when it’s not Christmas time, there are lines are KFC restaurants in Japan. Picture: JR Pass

Christmas cake in Japan is not a fruit cake, but a fluffy sponge cake with whipped cream and strawberries.

Japanese people share the cakes, symbolising prosperity and indulgence, with friends or loved ones on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve is also one of the biggest date nights of the year, according to JR Pass.

Many celebrate Christmas more like Valentine’s Day – exchanging gifts and going out for a fancy dinner at popular destinations like Tokyo’s Roppongi Hills and Shibuya.

They are known for elaborate Christmas illuminations with a romantic and festive atmosphere.

Couples exchange gifts on Christmas Eve and go out for a date. Picture: JR Pass

Elsewhere, there is Kobe’s Luminaire, one of the largest illumination events in Japan, which is held in Kobe as a memorial for the victims of the Kobe earthquake in 1995.

At Christmas time, The Kingdom of Lights festival in Huis Ten Bosch – one of the world’s largest illuminations – turns festive too.

There is a 30 metre tall Christmas tree and music to match the light display, which has around 13 million bulbs.

When it gets to New Year’s Eve, temples across the country ring their bells 108 times to rid people of the 108 earthly desires that are believed to cause human suffering, allowing everyone to enter the new year with a clean slate. It is a Buddhist tradition called Joya no Kane.

It might not be a national holiday but there’s still plenty of festive cheer. Picture: JR Pass

Japan is soaring in popularity among Aussie travellers with one major factor being our strong dollar against the Japanese yen (read about the astounding cost of food and alcohol here).

Between January and September visitors from Australia totalled a record 637,300, which was an increase of 42 per cent over the same period for the previous record in 2019, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).

Australian visitors also rank as one of the top markets for total length of stay in Japan.

Australian budget airline Jetstar operates up to 25 flights a week to the country, flying direct to Osaka and Tokyo.

Last month it said the number of people who have travelled or have booked travel to Japan with the airline this year had almost doubled compared to last year.

Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully recently told news.com.au the airline was expecting a “really busy” period of Aussies flying to Japan between December and March for the ski season.

Last year, for the first time in eight years, Tokyo dethroned Bali as Aussies’ favourite spot for international travel over summer on Expedia’s annual ranking.

Meanwhile, Tourism and Transport Forum Australia’s (TTF) summer holiday survey ranked Japan third on the list of international destinations people were travelling to.

On this year’s TTF survey, Japan is number two – second only to New Zealand.