- Sorry, I kinda forgot to do the blog on the 47 Ronin Festival. If anyone (cares or) wanted me to do that, then let me know and I'll do it in Jan.
- I'll be away tomorrow, December 24, through December 26. So, for all those submitting things to my guides, know that I won't be able to mod them until Tuesday.
- And I want to wish everyone a Happy Holidays (my Japanese New Year blog will take care of all the "Happy New Years"
Now it's time for my Japanese part of the blog - Christmas in Japan. I know all of you are thinking that most of the Japanese are not Christian. And, you're right: they're Shinto and/or Buddhist, but they still have Christmas, only it's the commercial part of it (Trees, lights, songs) and it's not a holiday. So, on the 25, people will be in work and school, although most are off for the New Year break.
The Japanese celebrate Christmas Eve by eating a "Christmas Cake", which, like all cake in Japan, is ridiculously overpriced. The TV stations tend to air Romance shows and specials on this date (to simulate that idyllic, snowy scene).
On Christmas Day, they go out and eat at...... Kentucky Fried Chicken!! Yes, the Japanese Christmas meal is KFC. This began sometime in the late 50s (I think). KFC was doing poorly in Japan, and so, they advertised that the traditional Western meal on Christmas was fried chicken...... and thus the Japanese go to KFC every December 25.
Christmas presents are exchanged too, and they're usually small, cute, and expensive things. Really, all Christmas is, is a hype for the biggest Japanese celebration - New Years!!
[Christmas Cake]
[Christmas Tree]
[Christmas in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan]
[Christmas in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan]
[Christmas in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan]
[Christmas in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan]
[Christmas in Tokyo Ebisu Garden, Tokyo, Japan]
So, that's pretty much it. Sometime by the 31st, I should have a New Year blog up. The Japanese New Year is so HUGE that I can't even talk about 1/4 of it in one blog without boring you and writing too much, so I'll try to cut it down to the coolest stuff.
Links:
~ Info on Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
~ Info on Ebisu Garden in Ebisu, Tokyo, Japan
Coming Up:
~ New Year (Oshogsatsu) - 1/1-1/7 (Check blog on December 31)