In the West, Christmas is about gathering around a turkey with your whole clan. Japan flips that script completely. Christmas Eve is a romantic date night.
Think of it like Valentine’s Day—but with more fried chicken. Couples book fancy dinners weeks in advance. Single people? They grab takeout and call it self-care.
No judging here.
The king of the table: KFC
Yes, you read that right. Kentucky Fried Chicken is the official holiday meal for millions of Japanese families. It’s not a joke.
The tradition started in the 1970s, thanks to a marketing campaign that just… stuck. Now, you have to order your “Christmas Barrel” weeks ahead.
Imagine walking into a KFC on December 24th without a reservation. You’d face a line that snakes around the block.
Reservations. For fried chicken. It’s wild.
