In Japan, where Christmas is largely a secular, commercial celebration, children may leave a slice of traditional Japanese Christmas cake—a light sponge cake with whipped cream and strawberries—for Santa-san. Sometimes, a drink or other treats are left out.
Many American children, for example, are known to leave milk, cookies, and the occasional reindeer-friendly snack, such as a carrot, but it's common for kids to leave Santa Claus a stronger drink — like beer or wine — in European countries such as France and Ireland.
While Japan is not a Christian country and there are few Christians living there, Christmas has been viewed by the Japanese as an occasion to adopt a few traditions from the West, including gift-giving. As in Europe, in Japan gifts are brought by Santa Claus (of course adapted to the Japanese context).
Only about 1% of Japanese are Christians, but most Japanese families do celebrate at Christmas time, by putting up a small tree or eating a cake even though for most of them the day doesn't have religous significance. Japanese children especially like Christmas, and many of them receive Christmas presents.
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Though traditionally gifts were not given for birthdays or Christmas, this is now the case for modern Japan. Gifts or Omiyage (souvenirs) given to family, friends and co-workers are expected upon returning from a trip. After receiving a gift, the Japanese send a “thank you” gift called an O-kaeshi.
Bowing is used to say all sorts of things, from a quick acknowledgement of a shopkeeper to a deep bow of gratitude or respect. And saying thanks is certainly one way that bows are used. In Japan, you bow from the waist and keep your back straight. The greater the angle of the bow, the more humble and respectful it is.
Santa in Japan
Christmas, pronounced Kurisumasu, is celebrated with enthusiasm in Japan. Despite gift giving playing a smaller role in Japan than in the US, Santa still plays an important role and children wait in anticipation for Santa-san (Mr.
The "Japan 5-minute rule" refers to extreme punctuality, meaning you should arrive 5-10 minutes before a scheduled time, as being exactly on time is considered late, demonstrating respect and reliability, a concept sometimes called "5-minute prior action" (５分前行動). It highlights Japanese culture's emphasis on preparedness, where trains are so precise that delays over 5 minutes get official notes, making being early a crucial part of business and social etiquette.
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Japan. Christmas is considered a romantic holiday by the Japanese. Santa-san gets no particular treats, but if he's lucky he might get to sample some of the food and drink that the Japanese like to celebrate Christmas with – KFC and a special edition version of Pepsi that tastes of strawberry cake.
From candy to traditional knives, check out these 18 cool things to buy in Japan:
What should I avoid giving as a gift? Avoid gifts that are too personal or extravagant. Items associated with death or bad luck, such as combs (which sound like the word for 'suffering death' in Japanese) or items in sets of four (the number four sounds like the word for 'death'), should also be avoided.
In recent decades many new apartments and homes have been built without traditional combustion fireplaces, however with some innovation the tradition persists. Snacks and beverages may be left out for Santa to consume during his visit, often milk and cookies, or a beer.
The 3 Gift Rule for Christmas simplifies holiday giving, inspired by the Magi's gifts to Jesus, focusing on quality over quantity, often structured as something they want, something they need, and something to read, or themed as gold (treasure/toy), frankincense (spiritual/faith), and myrrh (body/clothing). This approach reduces stress, controls spending, and encourages thoughtful choices, helping families prioritize meaning and connection rather than endless material possessions.
Cookies and Milk for Santa and Treats for His Reindeer The tradition of leaving cookies and milk for Santa and treats for his reindeer started in the United States in the 1930s.
The Japanese 80% rule, known as "Hara Hachi Bu", is a Confucian principle advising people to stop eating when they feel about 80% full, not completely stuffed, to support health and longevity. This practice encourages mindful eating, helps prevent overeating, and is linked to lower rates of illness and longer lifespans, particularly observed in Okinawan centenarians. It involves slowing down during meals, listening to your body's fullness cues, and appreciating food as fuel rather than indulging to the point of discomfort.
Thanks to a historically weak yen, the U.S. dollar goes quite far in Japan, making food, local transport, and cultural sites surprisingly affordable, though high-end hotels and bullet trains still cost significantly in dollar terms; expect about 155-156 yen per dollar, allowing for cheap convenience store snacks, budget ramen for around $10, and museum entries under $5, making it a great value trip for U.S. travelers.
Japanese tend not to eat while walking along or standing around on the street. However, it is acceptable to drink while standing aside vending machines, which are ubiquitous in Japan. Eating and drinking on local trains is also frowned upon, but not long distance express trains such as the Shinkansen bullet train.
Japanese people eat KFC for Christmas because of a wildly successful 1974 marketing campaign, "Kentucky for Christmas," filling a cultural void since Christmas isn't a traditional holiday and turkey was hard to find; the red-and-white bucket conveniently echoed festive colors, and Colonel Sanders' resemblance to Santa sealed the deal, making it a beloved annual tradition requiring advance orders.
In Japan, the roly-poly god Hotei, who is often identified with Santa Claus, ushers in the new year along with six other gods of good fortune; together, they form the Seven Lucky Gods, or shichi fukujin in Japanese.
Families gather for traditional meals, visit shrines for the first prayer of the year, and observe long-standing customs. For this reason, Christmas in Japan is viewed less as a “family holiday” and more as a day to enjoy with partners or friends.
It's more appropriate to say “Arigato gozaimasu” or “gozaimashita” (past form) in most places as a visitor. Since you don't know the staff working there, it's encouraged to be polite and proper. As a Japanese person, I don't just say “Arigato” to staff or waiters in any place.
Like in the example, they where staying there for a while. In martial arts gozaimashita is used to thanks for the combat. Saying thank you is better than not saying thank you. Not saying thank you is rude.