It may not be a holiday in Japan, but Christmas is big business there.

Quirky seasonal customs take place in people’s homes across the country, while city squares host elaborate Christmas decorations.

How does Japan actually celebrate Christmas?

And why has it become a popular holiday in such a secular, non-Western country?

KFC and sponge cake

Fried chicken was marketed by KFC Japan in the 1970s as the perfect Christmas meal — and it stuck.

The urban legend spread by KFC is that Westerners who couldn’t buy turkey in Japan opted for Kentucky Fried Chicken instead.

“Since an advertising campaign called ‘Kentucky for Christmas’ in 1974, many Japanese people have stood in long lines at KFC,” said Nozomi Ohike from Sydney, who grew up in Japan.

KFC Japan estimates that 3 to 4 million families eat chicken for Christmas each year.

The lead-up to December 25th has become the company’s biggest sales week.

Melbourne-based wedding planner Aya Otsuki Nichols grew up celebrating Christmas in the city of Okayama with her family.

Ms. Nichols said it makes sense to eat fried chicken at Christmas because most Japanese people don’t have ovens to roast turkey, pork or other meats.

And many people book KFC buckets four to six weeks before Christmas, she said.

The other important food associated with Christmas in Japan is cake.

However, not the dense, alcohol-infused fruit cakes popular in the West, but rather light sponge cakes, festively decorated with strawberries and whipped cream.

A tradition that began in the early 20th century and gained widespread popularity after World War II. The red and white color palette of the cakes is reminiscent of the Japanese flag.

Since emojis first came into common use in Japan, there are even two emojis dedicated to the Japanese Christmas cake.

Ayaka Fujita, originally from Tokyo, runs a pastry shop on the Sunshine Coast.

As a child, Ms Fujita ate strawberry shortcake “every year” at Christmas – a tradition kept alive in Queensland, where she sometimes brings Japanese cake to her Australian family gathering.

“Everyone who grew up in Japan always had strawberry shortcake on Christmas Day,” she said.

“For us it is not a religious day… on the 25th morning we always have gifts.

“Food and cake are usually served on the evening of the 24th.”

The Origins of Japanese Christmas

Christianity first came to Japan in the 15th century when Portuguese Catholic missionaries arrived in the archipelago.

His followers soon faced severe persecution and Christianity would be banned for around 250 years.

However, starting in the late 19th century, Japanese department stores began importing ornaments and decorations, Dr. Natsuko Akagawa from the University of Queensland, who celebrated Christmas as a child in the city of Kobe.

Today, there are fewer than 2 million Christians in Japan, making up just over 1 percent of the population – and Japan is considered one of the least religious countries in the world.

A Gallup poll conducted in 2022 found that only 20 percent of Japanese said they believed in God, the lowest figure of any country surveyed.

Christmas is therefore largely a secular occasion, more associated with Santa Claus and reindeer than with the birth of Jesus Christ.

When Ms. Nichols was a child, her mother bought Maryland chicken with teriyaki sauce at the grocery store and Santa Claus handed out gifts to her kindergarten classmates.

However, she said she has not yet fully understood the Christian origins of the holiday.

“Japanese people celebrate everything,” Ms. Nichols said.

Christmas is for lovers

The nativity story may not play a big role, but Christmas in Japan is still associated with hope and love.

For many young people it has become Valentine’s Day.

As the snow falls and Christmas lights illuminate the city’s squares, singles rush to set up dates and book fancy hotels on Christmas Eve.

“You don’t want to be seen eating alone,” said Sally Mizoshiri, a Sydney-based Japanese teacher whose husband is from Japan.

“Young, single people would hope to be taken out by someone on Christmas Eve.”

But that is slowly changing, Ms. Mizoshiri said, explaining that young people are leaving behind the long-standing stigma of doing activities alone.

When Ms Nichols and her Australian husband Wayne met, she prepared a perfect Japanese Christmas dinner.

He was “shocked” when he was presented with KFC chicken, strawberry shortcake and a poinsettia – red-leaved plants often used in Japanese Christmas decorations.

“Australian Christmas is like Japanese New Year – time for family, the longest holiday,” Ms Nichols said.

In fact, New Year is Japan’s most important holiday.

It is a time when the hardworking country switches off for three whole days to spend time with their families.

Christmas in Japan is simply “associated with a happy time,” said Dr. Akagawa.