The end-of-year holidays are coming soon! But what about the Japanese celebrations? Do they put on events at Christmas? Do they organise New Year? We take you to the heart of Japanese traditions.
Japan is one of the countries in the world with the most public holidays and festivals. The majority of these rites come from the Japanese Shinto and Buddhist beliefs.
Good to know: if the public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following working day is a day off!
Christmas in Japan
Because of their religious beliefs, the celebration of Christmas is quite recent. They indeed celebrate Father Christmas. At present, this celebration is still not very widespread in their culture, so much so that 25 December isn't a public holiday for them. Inconceivable for us!
Since the 1970s, and since they saw Western expats seeking a turkey or chicken at all costs for the Christmas meal, the Japanese have adopted fried chicken as the traditional meal. So much so that the sales of certain fast-food chains specialising in chicken-based menus explode at Christmas time!
Disconcerting when you know that in France, the Christmas meal is the most expensive of the year.
Find here our chicken Katsu Don Donburi or our M18 chicken maki.
Good to know: Christmas Eve is the most romantic day of the year for the Japanese.
Japanese New Year
This change of year is very important to them. The preparations last several days and several administrations and shops generally close from 29 December to 3 January.
In the last days of December, the Japanese perform a purification rite. They clean from floor to ceiling at home, in their children's schools, at their workplace, etc. The year's 'dirt' is cleaned between 13 and 28 December. They also 'purify' their minds by spending the last weeks of the year forgetting the past months, surrounded by their friends and colleagues over various meals and parties.
On the evening of 31 December, all the temples ring the bell 108 times as a purification.
On the morning of the 1st, tradition has it that you must attend the year's first sunrise, then drink the year's first sake at 9 am with a hearty breakfast. Some will then go to the temple to draw good-fortune predictions.
