Japan at Christmas

If you're going to be in Japan at Christmas, the first thing to realise is that it's going to be quite cold. The average high temperature is just 12 degrees, and the minimum average 5 degrees.

In the capital, Tokyo, it has been known to snow on Christmas Day, but it's very unlikely as the snowier season tends to be the end of January and February. Very few Japanese are Christians, so the 25th is not a national holiday.

It's said that the first Xmas was held by Jesuit missionaries in the 16th Century, and it is now estimated that less than 2% of the population celebrate Christmas as a religious festiva. 

However - since the Japanese love an excuse to celebrate, and many of the religions are highly tolerant of other faiths, it can still feel very festive.

Tokyo at Christmas 2012

Tokyo has embraced Christmas more than any other city in Japan, and there are many districts covered with Christmas lights. Some of the most well known areas for Light-seeing are Roppongi, Marunouchi Nakadori Street, Ginza (with fabulous dressed windows in the major stores), Ebisu Garden Place, Shinjuki Terrace City and Tokyo Dome City. Even in many residential areas it seems that houses compete for the most illuminations - just like parts of America.

Retailers have grabbed on to the growing interest in Western holidays and there's a fast growing 'tradition' of decorating stores with lights, christmas trees and also teddy bears. Homes will have artificial christmas trees decorated with lanterns, swans, fans, toys and candles - but the decorations are all removed on Dec 26th in advance of New Year.

Yokohama at Christmas

Beyond Tokyo there are still many great things to do at Christmas. At Yokohama Aquarium there's always a special festive display - one year it was a Christmas Tree of fish - thousands of fish in a vertical tank swirling around with coloured lights, and 2011's theme is Dolphins and Whales - plus a spectacular firework display.

The Yokohama Cosmo World lights up its ferris wheel, and turns on more than 270,000 lights across the park making it one of the biggest christmas light displays in the country. And in Queen's Square there's always a giant Christmas Tree.

Japanese Traditions at Christmas

The biggest night of celebration is actually Christmas Eve. All the best restaurants will be packed out with couples, similar to Valentine's Day in the West - leaving the same places empty the following day for the ex-pats to celebrate the 25th.

For families it's a tradition to buy a Christmas Cake on December 24th - but not like the traditional western cake, this is more like a cream cake with strawberries on top.

Presents are also often exchanged, and due to some very creative marketing by KFC, many Japanese believe it's a Western tradition to eat chicken on the big day, so join in that way. You'll regularly see long lines of locals waiting for their fried chicken!