Since we had the option of writing about anything, I decided follow up with the religion theme that we had for last week. Starting from the end of October, everyday when I walked from Kansai Gaidai back to my seminar house, I noticed a new person affluently decorates his/her house with colorful Christmas light. I think how the West perceives and celebrates Christmas is not how it is celebrated in Japan. In the post below, I discussed how Buddhism and Shinto are the two major religions in Japan and that only one percent of the population is estimated to be Christmas. Thus, with globalization and migration of people to Japan, the Japanese people have adopted many Western customs pertaining to Christmas. Additionally, globalization has really also made this holiday become more popular and become more of a commercial event rather than a holiday pertaining religious meaning. Christmas in Japan is not seen as a holiday where one spends time with one’s family. For young teens and single women, due to the influence of the media, it is a time to spend with that special someone in a romantic setting. For young kids, Christmas is about receiving presents from "Hotei-osho", a Buddhist monk who is equivalent of a Santa Claus. Like the US, it is common for parents to give presents to their kids but it is very uncommon for kids to give presents to their parents. This is phenomena exists because it is believed that Santa clause is the only one who brings presents and as long the kids believe then presents are given. However, in the US, the giving and receiving of presents reciprocates. Furthermore, the traditional Japanese Christmas food is the Christmas cake, which is made of sponge cake topped with strawberries and whipped cream, and fried chicken from KFC. I think the whole concept of eating fried chicken during Christmas is such an interesting concept. Do you know how this fried chicken became associated with Christmas?
By the time christmas began to be adopted in Japan,KFC also started to extend its business in Japan.
ReplyDeleteTo become popular in Japan,KFC set a campaign to eat fried chicken on the christmas day to celebrate and enjoy because at that time,eating meat is not yet so typical in Japan and fried chicken was easy to feel Western culture.This
campaign was succesfully done and after that,KFC holds this campaign every season and That is why eating KFC is established.
I think the concept of eating fried chicken and cake for Christmas is such a wired concept. I did a presentation in my speaking class about Christmas in Japan and when I told the teacher that in the US we do not eat fried chicken and cake during this time, he was really surprised and shocked. He kept asking why we did not do this. I just think that it is sad that Japanese people think of these two food when they think of Christmas and that this is how Americans celebrate it.
ReplyDeleteChristmas all over the world has been a commercial event. Japan is interesting in its western interpretation of Christmas. Christmas cake comes from England I believe and KFC from America. Interpretation plus advertisements equals traditions... Santa Claus (who comes from Coca Cola ads) is in japan as well. He is on exhibition at the Hirakata-shi eki and the Colonel is dressed as Santa in many a KFC. Ho Ho Ho and Merry Christmas to you...
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