Christmas Food in Japan: Top 9 Japanese Christmas Foods

Christmas in Japan is very different from other places in the world. The majority of the population is not Christian, so there are some elements that aren’t quite the same. For example, you won’t find Christmas lights on every street, Christmas trees in homes, nor will you get the time off from work. 

Here in Japan, it isn’t a religious holiday you spend with your family, it’s more like date night with couples going out and celebrating their love.

Another notable difference is that like in most of Asia, most homes don’t have an oven; so, you are often unable to cook your traditional roast dinner. This results in some interesting Japanese Christmas foods that you wouldn’t find in the West.

Christmas cake is not your traditional Christmas cake you would get in the West, but more like a birthday cake. The typical Japanese Christmas cake is a strawberry shortcake covered head-to-toe in whipped cream with some Christmas themed decorations on top. 

The place that started this Japanese food tradition was the Fujiya department store in 1910. They became hugely popular after World War II and became a sign of Japan’s economic stability. The cakes are now easily found throughout Japan at convenience stores, department stores and bakeries.

Not to leave out singles on the most romantic holiday of the year, 7-Eleven even sells ohitorisama Christmas cakes for one. Some think the cakes are red and white to symbolize the colors of the Japanese flag. That may be true, but one thing’s for sure, and it’s that this cake signifies the winter holidays in Japan. 

Learn how to make a Japanese Christmas cake by baking a strawberry shortcake from start to finish in this Tokyo cooking class. Make the dough, whip the cream, slice the strawberries and decorate it however you like. You’ll be guided by an experienced baker, ensuring that even beginners will have no problems making a delicious cake. 

Learn some tips for taking beautiful photos of your handmade cake before eating. With your newfound knowledge and recipe in hand, you can bring Japanese Christmas dessert traditions into your home. 

Probably the most well-known Japanese Christmas food is KFC and most Westerners, if they know anything about Japan, have heard that there's an odd tradition of consuming KFC at Christmas. We know the Japanese people love their fried chicken (like karaage) and that doesn’t just start or stop at Christmas, they love it all year round. 

There are many rumors as to why KFC is specifically associated with Christmas in Japan, from foreigners looking for turkey and KFC chicken being their best option to the Colonel looking like Father Christmas. Whatever it was, the KFC marketing team jumped at this opportunity, coming up with the slogan “Kentucky for Christmas.” 

If you want to get involved this Christmas in Japan, you better book ahead of time (normally it’s two months in advance) as the chicken buckets sell out pretty quick.

Yuzu is a citrus fruit that’s similar to a large lemon and it’s in season from November to January. The citrus fruit contains Vitamin C and is a popular Japanese winter food. During the Christmas period in Japan, you will find yuzu everywhere you turn, from yuzu-flavored KitKats to yuzu tea. 

One of the most popular ways to use yuzu is in baths. People often use the whole yuzu and place them in hot bathwater to release their citrus aroma. These baths are thought to prevent winter sickness and purify the body during the cold winter months. 

Chanmery is a children’s party drink that allows kids to get involved with the celebrations, not letting the adults have all the fun popping bottles. The name is a blend of "champagne" and "Merry Christmas," but don’t worry, it’s not alcoholic. 

Nothing screams Christmas in Japan to kids like this carbonated, typically grape juice flavored drink; other flavors are available during the festive period. The bottle has a child-safe design and makes a popping sound when opened without the possibility of a cork taking someone’s eye out. 

Another Japanese Christmas food enjoyed during the festive period is wagashi, a traditional Japanese sweet known for its seasonality. Japanese confectioneries mold the wagashi and manju into festive shapes such as snowmen, reindeer, and holly leaves. The flavors of wagashi remain traditional despite their Christmas make-over and are usually made with red bean and green tea. 

In this wagashi-making class in Tokyo, you’ll learn how to make three different types of traditional Japanese sweets. Make nerikiri wagashi with beautiful seasonal motifs, fruit daifuku (fruit mochi) that often incorporate strawberries in the winter and the tricolor sanshoku dango, also known as hanami dango.

You’ll be in good hands with a bilingual instructor certified by the Wagashi Promotion Association of Japan. Explore the history and traditions of traditional Japanese sweets by making (and eating) wagashi yourself.

Again, pizza might not strike you as a traditional Japanese Christmas food, and it’s a fairly recent addition to the foods that are eaten at Christmas. 

Companies such as Domino’s and Pizza Hut are striving to create an association with Japanese people and special occasions, hoping for it to be as big as the KFC and Christmas association. 

It is often the food of special occasions and parties, with it being an easy food to share, and every year more people opt to order it on Christmas Eve in Japan. Pizza itself is quite a recent addition to the Japanese market, with Domino’s only entering in 1985. 

Chirashi sushi is a popular party food that’s enjoyed in Japan, typically eaten on Girls Day and sometimes at Christmas parties. It’s a colorful dish and the name means scattered sushi. 

It’s typically assorted vegetables and uses cooked ingredients rather than raw, such as prawn, that’s placed over sushi rice. 

In this Tokyo cooking class, learn how to make a beautiful bowl of chirashi sushi alongside several side dishes. You’ll learn the secrets of crafting delicious sushi rice and master the art of making kinshi tamago (shredded egg crepe).

Fill out your bowl with ingredients like thinly sliced sashimi, cooked seafood, pickled vegetables and several garnishes. Finish your meal by making miso soup and kakiage (vegetable and seafood tempura) for a meal that evokes feelings of a Japanese Christmas party. 

Although not traditionally consumed in a Japanese household, Japanese people like to visit German Christmas markets. These markets are often a lot smaller than those in the West, and are rather limited on the food front, primarily selling German sausages and beer. 

The Roppongi Christmas Market is one of the bigger holiday markets in Tokyo and sells foods like mulled wine, pretzels and fries. Through these markets, these foods are becoming more associated with traditional Japanese Christmas foods.

Another popular Christmas food in Japan with German influences is stollen, a sweet bread that is sold at bakeries throughout the country during the holiday season. While stollen has existed in Japan for decades, its popularity has spiked over the last 10 years, partly through its appearances at the Aoyama Bread Festival held every fall. 

The German bread is filled with nuts, dried fruits and spices before being coated with powdered sugar, making it a sweet and homely dessert during Christmas. 

So, if you’re in Japan this Christmas, why not give some of these Japanese Christmas dishes and foods a try. They might not be what one would normally associate with Christmas, but we hope they can satisfy your hunger if you’re celebrating this Christmas in Japan. 

From buckets of Christmas chicken at KFC to bathing with yuzu, these Japanese food traditions are an alternative way to celebrate the winter holidays in Japan compared to what you’re used to.

Feeling festive? Check out our guide to Osechi Ryori, symbolic Japanese New Year foods. Or, discover how to best spend Christmas in Tokyo. 

Planning to spend winter in Japan? Check out our other Japanese winter guides:

• Winter in Kyoto: Must-Do Activities and Attractions

• Winter in Nikko: Waterfalls, Onsen Town & Marshlands

• Winter in Hokkaido: Skis, Snow Festivals & Soup Curry

While not steeped in centuries-long traditions like some holiday meals in the West, a traditional Japanese Christmas meal involves eating fried chicken (usually from KFC) and enjoying a Christmas cake dessert. 

Through a 1974 ‘Kentucky for Christmas’ marketing campaign by KFC, just four years after entering the Japanese market, the company was able to associate its food with the holiday season. 

This association is still strong today, with reservations for Christmas meals at the fast food chain opening several months in advance and millions of Japanese families ordering KFC for Christmas. 

Christmas cake is the most popular dessert in Japan for the holidays. A strawberry shortcake with copious amounts of cream and holiday decorations, Christmas cake can be ordered at convenience stores and department stores throughout Japan. Like KFC, Christmas cakes usually require reserving in advance due to popularity. 

Chanmerry is a popular non-alcoholic drink on Christmas that the whole family can enjoy. Mulled wine is another popular choice that can be found at Christmas markets in Japan.