Christmas in Japan 2012

Christmas in Japan is celebrated a little different than from home in Australia. For a start the seasons are different, Winter vs Summer. Christmas is not a national holiday in Japan, and is just a regular working day if it falls on a week day. In Australia, it is a time to spend with family, while in Japan it is a romantic time for couples, kind of like a second Valentine’s Day.

Christmas Eve, rather than Christmas Day is the special day in Japan. It is usually a time for couples to go out on a romantic dinner date and restaurants and hotels are usually fully booked out during this time. Christmas Eve is celebrated with a fancy Christmas cake. The cake usually consists of a sponge cake covered in whipped cream and topped with strawberries.

Christmas food in Japan includes traditional KFC fried chicken. Kentucky Fried Chicken has become synonymous with Christmas in Japan since they launched their advertising campaign in the 1970s. You will usually see the Colonel dressed up in Santa gear around this time. There are long lines at KFC on Christmas Day and many people pre-order their Christmas feast well in advance to avoid missing out.

The retail stores and shopping malls scattered all around Japan have been the most enthusiastic about Christmas, with large Christmas trees, Santa Clauses and seasonal decorations out in force several weeks or months in advance.

Over the last few years, more and more people are starting to celebrate Christmas like we do in the west. They are taking up traditions such as decorating their home, exchanging gifts and having a nice Christmas dinner. The Winter Illuminations have become a big deal during this time with magical displays put on by several places. My favourite has to be the Winter Illuminations at Nabana no Sato in Mie Prefecture.

How to spend a Festive Christmas in Japan like back home 

There are several places in Gifu/Nagoya, my home in Japan that have the goodies you need to make a Festive Christmas just like at home.

Plant6 in Ogaki has a range of cheeses, party foods, snacks, cookies and meats.

Amika in Akenabe-cho and Masaki has a large range of frozen meats including whole chickens.

FrancFranc in Nagoya Parco has lots of different Christmas decorations as well as Tokyu Hands in Takashimiya Nagoya.

Loft in Gifu City and Sakae Nagoya also has lots of Christmas decorations and stationary like Christmas cards.

Kaldi in Diamond City and Masa21, has lots of different imported food such as chocolate, candy and snacks for those Christmas stockings.

In the Tokyo area, check out places like

Precce for a variety of cheeses, party foods and speciality items for Christmas.

Nissin World Delicatessen for whole turkeys and fixings for stuffing.

Kinokuniya has several traditional style Christmas decorations.

Seijoishi import grocery store has lots of different imported candy and cookies.

Ikea last year was selling real Christmas trees for ¥1990 and also have a good range of Christmas decorations.

FrancFranc and Tokyu Hands have loads of Christmas tree decorations.

Loft also has lots of Christmas decorations and stationary like Christmas cards.

Hope you all have a Merry Christmas

Light Tunnel at Nabana no Sato

November 2012 on Japan Travel Advice

November has been another great month on Japan Travel Advice. We managed to cover some of my favourite places in Kyoto as well as build upon our content.

The site will continue to expand, and in the meantime, please enjoy a recap of our new articles for November 2012.

Please feel free to visit the site and leave a comment or rate any of the sights you see.

Kanazawa Castle

Kanazawa Castle was built in 1583 by the powerful Maeda clan and is located in Ishikawa Prefecture. It is right next to Kenrokuen Garden, which originally formed the private outer garden of the castle. Kanazawa Castle is classified as a hilltop castle. Read More

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Kiyomizu-dera Temple was first built in 798 and is considered one of the most famous landmarks of Kyoto. The name Kiyomizu-dera literally means “Pure Water Temple” and it takes its name from the pure waters of nearby Otowa Waterfall. It is located in the hills east of Kyoto and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Read More

Nijo Castle

Nijo Castle in Kyoto was built in 1603 as the official Kyoto residence of the first Tokugawa shogun, Ieyasu. It is not your typical Japanese castle, but more of a palace style castle. Nijo Castle was constructed as a demonstration of the shogun’s power and prestige and to signal the demise of the emperor. Read More

Heian Jingu Shrine

Heian Jingu Shrine has a short history but is still considered a must see attraction in Kyoto. It is a rarity as a modern shrine in Kyoto, which is famous for its shrines, which are hundreds of years old. It was built in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto.  Read More

Accommodation in Japan

Japan offers a wide range of accommodation from the budget to the high-end luxury. You can find accommodation in either Japanese style or Western style. In Japan there is a person rate per room, which means if you are sharing a room with another person the rate will double.

In most hotels and all ryokan (Japanese style inns) you will be provided with a yukata robe, toothbrush, razor, show cap and basic toiletries.

The main types of accommodation in Japan include:

Western Style Hotels
Western style hotels can be found all over Japan and include both international and Japanese hotel chains. They usually have English speaking staff with rates vary from 8,000 yen to 30,000 yen.

Budget Style Business Hotels
A great compromise and very economical with prices around 7,400 yen for a single and 9,000 yen for a double. The rooms are clean, simple, western style and usually include free breakfast, TV, and internet connection in your room. The hotels are usually located close to train stations making them very convenient for travel. Popular chains include Toyoko Inn and APA Hotel.

Capsule Hotels
A cheap alternative to regular hotels and very common in the major cities. The rooms usually measure two metres by one metre by one metre, and contain a bed, a TV, reading light, radio and alarm clock. You can keep your personal belongings stored safely in a locker room. A lot of capsule hotels also offer access to sauna and communal baths. The average price is usually around 3,800 yen per night.

Minshuku (Japanese Guest Houses)
These are usually small, family run bed and breakfast lodgings without the frills such as yukata gowns and toiletries. A stay at a minshuku will give you a more intimate experience of Japanese home life. Rates are usually from 5,000 yen and up and they can be found all over Japan.

Ryokan (Japanese Style Inns)
A rewarding experience for a taste of traditional Japan. They charge on average a rate of around 9,000 yen per person, but can rapidly rise for the more elegant ryokan. Guests sleep in tatami (straw mat) rooms on futon and the morning and evening meals are served in the guest’s room. The baths are sometimes communal.

For more information on different types of accommodation in Japan and places to visit, pick up a copy of Lonely Planet Japan

Mt Mitake

Image by Philip Belfer

Mt Mitake also called Mitake-san (御岳山) is a great day trip from Tokyo that you will not find in most travel guides. It’s the prefect escape from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo and a place to appreciate some beautiful nature and views. At this time of the year it is spectacular with the beautiful coloured leaves of autumn in Japan.

Mt Mitake is located in Chichibu Tama National Park, which is in the western most part of Tokyo prefecture. The National Park covers some 1250 square kilometres of forested mountains. The trip to Mt Mitake is around an hour and a half by local train from downtown Tokyo. Buses run from Mitake Station to the Mt Mitake cable car terminus which is a 10 minute journey and costs 270 yen.

There are several ways to climb the mountain. If you have time on your hands then you can attempt to hike to the top. Alternatively, if time is a premium then you can take the cable car from the foot of the mountain, which is a 15 minute journey, and takes you close to the summit of Mt Mitake. The cable car is 570 yen one way and 1090 yen return. From the upper station, it’s about a 20-30 minute walk to the summit which is at 929m. It is a pleasant walk with stunning mountain forests and foliage. You will also pass by a small village with traditional Japanese style inns and souvenir shops.

The summit contains the beautiful Mitake Jinja Shrine, which is said to date back some 1200 years. The area around the shrine offers great views of the surrounding mountains and the Kanto plain. On a clear day from the summit you can see the skyscrapers of Shinjuku in downtown Tokyo.

Looking for a place to see the beautiful autumn leaves? Check out Mt Mitake near Tokyo

Mitake Jinja Shrine

Visit Japan Travel Advice for more information and details about the travel destinations in Japan

Shichi-Go-San

November 15th is Shichi-Go-San (Seven-Five-Three) in Japan. It is a ceremony for 5 year old boys and 3 and 7 year old girls to celebrate their growth. It is a day of prayer for the healthy growth of young children and to pray for their future. Why the ages Seven-Five-Three? These ages are odd numbers and are considered lucky in East Asian numerology. Shichi-Go-San is not a national holiday and is usually celebrated on the nearest weekend to the actual date.

It is tradition on Shichi-Go-San for children to dress up in traditional Japanese clothing such as a kimino and hakama and visit a shrine to celebrate and be blessed. It is usually the first time for many to wear such traditional clothing and is a popular time for formal pictures to be taken at a professional photo studio. In more recent times, many children are increasingly wearing Western style clothing such as dresses and suits. 

The celebration is said to have started during the Heian period (794-1185) when nobles celebrated the growth of their children. The practice became popular among commoners during the Edo period (1603-1868) and evolved to what it is today during the Meiji era (1868-1912).

After the visit to the shrine, parents usually buy special candy for the children called chitose-ame (longevity candy). The character for chitose-ame is 千歳飴 and it literally means thousand year candy. Not that it is a thousand years old, but it symbolizes healthy growth and longevity. The candy is shaped like a stick and comes in a bag decorated with cranes and turtles, which both symbolize long life.

Chitose-ame

Some other popular Japanese festivals include:

• Hina Matsuri (雛祭) Girls Day
• Kodomo no hi - Children's Day

Japanese Zori and Geta

Zori and Geta are a form of traditional Japanese footwear that remains popular and widely worn in Japan today. They are simply constructed with a base to support the foot and a strap for the toes to grip.

Zori (草履) which are flat Japanese sandals have a long history in Japan, but little has changed over the years in terms of design and construction. The only difference from now and the past is the material that is used in modern construction. Today many different materials such as leather, plastic, cloth and rubber are used as opposed to just rice straw and lacquered wood of the past.

There are many different kinds and styles of zori from formal zori, which are traditionally worn with a kimono, to casual ones that you can where anytime, and are a common sight during the summer in Japan. 

Here is a picture of my zori from Japan

Japanese Zori

Geta (下駄) consist of a flat piece of wood with two ribs underneath known as teeth (歯) to raise the wearer off the ground. Japanese started wearing geta as footwear in the 5th century. At first they were only worn on special occasions like festivals, but by the 17th century they had become everyday footwear.

Like zori, there are many different styles and shapes of geta. They are traditionally worn with Japanese clothes such as kimono or yukata.

They are also very useful in Japan as they can be easily slipped on and off, which is important in a culture, where shoes must be removed before entering a house. 

Did you know that zori and geta are good for you?

Zori and geta exercise the muscles of your feet and promote good posture. They also allow for free circulation of air around the feet. Good for your feet and foot health.

Japanese Geta

October 2012 on Japan Travel Advice

October has been a busy month on Japan Travel Advice. The site was launched on the 1st of October and we have been busy posted new content on a weekly basis. I still have some interactive Google Maps that I've been developing and hope to launch these soon.

In the meantime, please enjoy a recap of our new articles for October 2012.

Matsumoto Castle

Matsumoto Castle is one of the most visually stunning castles in all of Japan. The castle an original is known as kurasu-jo (Crow Castle) because of its black exterior. Matsumoto castle is a flatland castle (hirajiro) built on a plain rather than on a hill or mountain. It is located in Matsumoto city, in Nagano Prefecture. Read More

Kinkakuji Temple

Kinkakuji Temple, also known as the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, is one of Japan’s best known sights. Located in Northern Kyoto, the original building was constructed in 1397 as a retirement villa for the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. Read More

Todaiji Temple

Todaiji Temple in Nara is an awe-inspiring sight and should be at the top of any sightseeing trip to Japan. The temple was built in 752 during the Nara period (710 – 794 AD) at the behest of Emperor Shomu, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Read More

Kenrokuen Garden

Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa is considered to be one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan. The other two are Korakuen Garden in Okayama and Kairakuen Garden in Mito. The garden is conveniently located outside the gates of Kanazawa Castle. In its original form Kenrokuen Garden formed the outer garden of Kanazawa Castle. Read More