How Fried Chicken Became Japan’s Christmas Dinner: A Holiday Twist
- MASX
- Nov 11, 2025
- 2 min read
Forget turkey. In Japan at Christmas time, fried chicken buckets, shimmering illuminations and romantic date-nights take centre stage. Christmas in Japan is less about religion and more about celebration, lights, and unique food traditions.
Unique traditions & local flavour
The unexpected star: KFC. Yes, every year millions of Japanese families reserve KFC “party barrels” for Christmas dinner.
The origin: In 1974 KFC Japan launched the “Kentucky for Christmas!” campaign, filling a holiday dinner gap (no turkey tradition) and turning fried-chicken into a Christmas staple.
Christmas as a romantic holiday: In Japan, December 24 is often treated like a couples’ celebration (dinner + lights + cake) rather than a family Catholic feast.
Dazzling illumination displays: Cities light up from early December; couples stroll through light-tunnels, trees, displays.
Seasonal desserts: Strawberry shortcakes and special sweets appear only during this holiday time.
Travel-spotlight: where to go
Tokyo – Marunouchi & Roppongi: Some of the best winter illumination displays in the capital.
Shopping & Light-Walks: Consider visiting from mid-December to catch the peak display season.
Food-angle: Pre-order or join queues for KFC Christmas sets (yes—they do get booked out!) and try special holiday desserts.
Why this makes a great travel offering
Combines pop-culture + food + lights in a uniquely Japanese way.
Great for couples (romantic date experience) and food lovers (unexpected dinner tradition).
December travel to Japan means festive vibe + possibly less peak travel than winter ski-season.
Travel-tips
Book accommodation and special dinner early (especially if you want a KFC Christmas bucket!). Many outlets require pre-order.
Visit illuminations after dark (typically from 17:00–20:00) for best photo ops.
Be aware: Christmas is not a public holiday in Japan — many stores and transport still operate normal hours.
If travelling with family, add a traditional Japanese Christmas‐cake dessert stop for novelty.
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