As the year draws to a close, we at Gravio wish to offer our Holiday Greetings and take the moment to explain how Japan observes the season a bit differently.
While Shinto and Buddhism are the primary religions in Japan, Christ’s birthday is recognized in its own special way. Christmas is a typical work day in Japan. Starting in the 1970s the folks at Kentucky Fried Chicken created an association between a bucket of fried chicken and Christmas named, “Kentucky for Christmas”. This has led to many Japanese families celebrating Christmas with a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
For young couples, Christmas is seen as an important date night. And, instead of preparing Christmas cookies, Christmas cakes are the rage in Japan – seen as a sign of prosperity introduced by occupying forces during the rebuilding of the nation following the second World War.
The sacred feeling of Christmas that takes over much of the Western world is felt the following week in Japan, when most of the nation takes off for the days before and after the New Year Holiday, to return home to ancestral homes to be with family. Traditional foods are prepared, with a home meal of osechi ryori.
Leading up to New Year’s Day a deep cleaning oosoji of the home is conducted. Furthermore, the tradition is to go to the local temple to wash the ancestor’s grave markers so that their spirits can also enter the New Year in a clean manner.
Many Japanese will venture to the nearby temple at midnight, to witness the ringing of the bell 108 times at midnight, so-called hatsumode.
While at home eyes are glued to the national television broadcasting service, NHK, which features featuring singing contests and music concerts round the clock. And on January 2-3, viewers are treated to the Hakone Eki-den running relay race featuring Japan’s leading University student runners.
There is also a business difference between the Western end of year and Japan’s, in that instead of the Japanese fiscal year beginning January 1, most businesses, schools and agencies mark the beginning of the fiscal year on April 1, coinciding with the arrival of cherry blossoms.
From all of us at Gravio and Interra, we wish you the happiest end of year, and wish the best in 2026.
