Christmas On Isezaki Street

A pedestrian mall lit up for Christmas. The blue sign on the left is where I work.

Monday December 20, 2004

Christmas isn't real in Japan. Like other Western customs, Japan has taken hold of Christmas ferociously. There are carols, Christmas trees, and lights everywhere, bigger and brighter than any I've seen in Canada. Light displays are called "Christmas illuminations" in Japanese English.

But Christmas Day isn't a holiday, and gifts aren't exchanged. It is actually a day for couples; a romantic dinner is usually expected. There is no religious significance to Christmas here, not unlike back home, but there is also no religious history or background to it either. It just awkwardly exists for no real reason. And ... there's no snow!

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