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Tokyo
CNN
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One of the most memorable Christmas days for Sumire Sekino was spending the day exploring some of Tokyo’s best date spots with her boyfriend.

She recalled that day began with the couple taking photos at TeamLab, an immersive and highly Instagrammable digital art installation. They then headed to Shibuya Sky, an observation deck 751 feet high, for panoramic views of the Japanese capital.

“It was only our first month together so we were still nervous. But I had so much fun visiting these places with him for the first time,” says the student.

Another student, Akao Takao, 19, watched some dazzling light displays last year and went to a Christmas market with his girlfriend before they sat down for a belly-warming hot chocolate.

“I had a wonderful experience,” he says.

In Western culture, Christmas is the time of year when families gather around a long table to chat, open lavishly wrapped presents and sip eggnog. Some go to church.

But in Japan, the holiday has long since taken on an additional, more romantic dimension: It’s widely seen as just another Valentine’s Day.

Couples have a special date on Christmas Eve, checking out the holiday decorations, dining at fancy restaurants and staying at luxury hotels.

Love is in the air everywhere, from Tokyo – where the bustling Roppongi and Ginza districts are filled with couples holding hands on streets lined with sparkling trees – to Hokkaido, where the promise of a white Christmas awaits.

For men willing to splurge a little, there are luxurious hotel rooms with spectacular views that can easily cost up to $2,000 a night if they aren’t already fully booked.

Young people in Japan usually stay with their parents until they get married, so spending a night together away from home is considered a special treat.

This year, the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo is offering a “Romantic Getaway” that includes credits for a fine dinner and an ice skating experience at an outdoor ice rink. The Grand Hyatt Tokyo, on the other hand, promises a “romantic evening” and offers rooms with a view of the festively lit trees.

Restaurants and stores are also taking the opportunity to unveil special dinner sets and discounts on a range of gifts, from chocolates to jewelry.

“It’s about mood and atmosphere,” Associate Professor Roy Starrs, who specializes in Japanese studies at the University of Otago in New Zealand, tells CNN Travel.

“As soon as it gets dark, young couples arrange to meet together to watch the spectacular display of colorful lights and it is believed that this is a very romantic atmosphere conducive to young love.”

In a country of 124 million people, Shinto is Japan’s most followed religion, with less than one percent of the population being Christian. And yet the nation celebrates Christmas in full spirit.

According to Starrs, Christianity arrived in Japan in the mid-16th century, but was largely suppressed for another two and a half centuries during the Tokugawa era, a period characterized by a strict social order and isolationist policies.

It wasn’t until after World War II that American culture spread to Japan and brought Christmas with it. But the holiday was celebrated with a uniquely Japanese twist.

“Most Japanese view Christmas not as any religious event, but as a pop culture spectacle imported from the West – an aesthetically pleasing mix of bright lights, Santa Claus dolls, Christmas markets, brightly wrapped presents (and) Christmas cakes,” Starrs says.

Japan is a society in which aesthetics are highly valued, he adds. So it makes sense that these festive displays, often accompanied by copious amounts of snow, make the perfect recipe for a romantic white Christmas.

“The couple can also exchange gifts, visit an exotic German-style Christmas market and end the evening at a chic French or Italian restaurant. And finally, the mood might be just right for a marriage proposal!” says Starrs.

The romantic twist on Christmas could be one of the best gifts the Japanese government can hope for as it strives to increase marriages and births.

The fertility rate fell to 1.20 last year, another record low, well below the 2.1 required to maintain a stable population in a country.

For the older generation in what was once the world’s second-largest economy, waste was the way to go – the glitzier the better. Aside from expensive hotels, men often opened champagne bottles and rented limousines for a night to impress.

But after years of stagnation, Japan’s once-enviable economic power has lost its luster, slipping to fourth place in the world earlier this year. With the rising cost of living – exacerbated by the recent devaluation of the Japanese yen – young couples are looking for creative ways to celebrate.

23-year-old university student Inoue Shogo says he is avoiding hotels because of the rise in prices.

“As Western food becomes more expensive and everyone wants to have Christmas dinner, we opt for a cheaper option, which is usually Japanese food,” he says.

According to a recent survey by marketing company MERY, eating Christmas cake, staying home for a private party and looking at the Christmas lights are all the younger generations are comfortable with these days.

Yuhi Hasegawa, 19, visited Enoshima with his girlfriend last year and enjoyed the festive lights and beautiful views.

Located an hour’s train ride south of Tokyo, the small island is known for its sandy beaches and laid-back lifestyle.

“We should value time with our partner. Instead of spending money on fancy restaurants or luxury cosmetics, staying home, watching First Love (a Netflix romance series) and finding true love could be the perfect solution,” he says.