Christmas isn't especially a religious holiday in Japan, but that doesn't stop the people here from getting into the holiday spirit and enjoying the festive season in a big way.

This photo of a display along Hirokoji-dori, one of the main thoroughfares in Nagoya's downtown Sakae area, depicts a scene from a Christmas sale that's dated "1965," so it's clear that commercial awareness of the holiday goes back for well over fifty years at the least.

One event that has become something of a local seasonal tradition more recently is the Nagoya Christmas Market. This takes place in Sakae's Hisaya-odori Park, about four blocks south of the TV Tower, and is ongoing daily from early December until just before Christmas Day.

The Nagoya Christmas Market is patterned on the traditional Christmas markets of Germany and elsewhere in northern Europe. It's a popular destination for couples and families, as well as for friends meeting up after work, or even just as a novel change of pace.

Special consideration is given to ensure a fun time for all visitors, young and old.

Tables in tents ensure that visitors can stay warm and dry, even in inclement weather.

The 2019 market also featured a bouncy castle for the younger set.

And on weekends, the kids can meet Santa Claus!

A few of the merchants at the market sell authentic European Christmas ornaments.

Others sell Yule-themed glass knickknacks and other holiday decorations.

Some vendors offer the kinds of food and drink you often find at traditional German Christmas markets, including sausages (of course) as well as beer – both hot and cold.

Some even sell gluehwein, a winter-holiday beverage enjoyed in German-speaking countries. This is made by mulling wine with spices, and is served hot. It makes for a tasty way to keep warm on chilly evenings!

One dish that caught my eye was kocha-gamo steak, which features tender meat from a crossbreed of the wild and the domestic duck, grilled to tasty tenderness and drizzled with balsamic-based sauce. Delicious!

I also took advantage of the opportunity to try one of the many authentic German beers on offer. This was the daily special at one of the food stands, and it paired wonderfully with the sausage I tried.

Along with the giant decorated Christmas tree that serves as the market's centerpiece, other illuminated fixtures here and there throughout the area add a warm festive glow, and are also busy photo spots.

Christmas markets like this that are grounded on longstanding European tradition have become popular in recent years, but Japan also celebrates the holiday in ways that are decidedly unique and might surprise visitors from elsewhere.


One example is this is the strong connections with certain food items that might not be particularly associated with Christmas in the West.

One of these is strawberry shortcake.

Known as "Christmas cake," this popular treat enjoyed on December 25 is available not only at just about every cake shop and patisserie in the country, but even at places rice ice-cream shops and convenience stores.

Walk through the food section of any downtown department store, and you'll find many shops hawking their take on this holiday favorite here in Japan.

Many people pre-order their cakes to make sure they don't miss out on Christmas Day.

Another food that the Japanese connect with Christmas that's maybe even more surprising is fried chicken.

The association of fried chicken with Christmas in Japan dates back to the mid-1970s, when the company that is now KFC Japan launched a longstanding advertising campaign promoting Kentucky fried chicken as a Christmas meal, to huge commercial success.

The company continues to cash in on this association of fried chicken with the holiday, and naturally other businesses now get into the act as well, including many convenience stores.

Christmas in Japan – the approach may be a bit unusual, but there's certainly plenty of holiday spirit!