Fujieda Local Customs

How do Japanese celebrate Christmas? Although more than 90 percent of Japanese are non-Christian, they celebrate Christmas in various manners. Some young couples spend a night with dinner during Christmas. Many Japanese buy a christmas tree and give presents just like U.S. and European countries, but almost all Japanese buy Christmas Cake decorated with red strawberries and white creams. Sweet shops like 31 Ice Cream(BR chain in Japan) take pre-orders for Christmas Cake(BR version should be called Christmas Ice Cake) about one month before Christmas. For people outside Japan, eating Christmas Cake in Christmas is thought to be peculiar and Christmas cake issue is one of the most popular questions non-Japanese ask about Japan. Like Valentine chocolate during mid February, it started by a confectionary maker. Fujiya is the first Japanese confectionary maker which sold the Christmas Cake in Japan in 1910. Eating Christmas cake have been prevalent like today since mid 1970s which coincided with the era Japan experienced high GNP growth.