Do They Know It's Christmas? 🎅
In Japan, they do - but then again, they don't.
Welcome to issue #3 of Everyday Journeys by Norbert Woehnl, your friendly photography newsletter from Japan!
We're a week away from Christmas, which for me here in Tokyo is always the time of year that presents the starkest cultural difference to living in Europe. Japan, of course, is not a Christian country, and so the season has been repurposed into a mixed secular bag consisting of
- commerce (OK, this point is the same as in the West),
- Christmas eve as a "second Valentine's Day" focusing on romantic activities for couples,
- fried chicken and strawberry shortcake as staple foods (one third of KFC Japan's annual sales happen during Christmas season),
- shops and eateries switching their background music to "christmassy" fare from Nov 1st thru Dec 31st,
- elaborate light displays ("illuminations").
While the novelty effect of this eclectic mix has worn off quite a bit over the years, overall it's still a peaceful and positive time of the year - and things do calm down much more around New Year's. I do sometimes miss a stroll around a nice German Christmas Market though ...
A selection of recent posts from my website
- This first one is actually not a very recent post, but one to illustrate a textbook Christmas Market in the historic city center of Herrenberg, Germany (posted 2024-12-24).
- Some years ago, in my wife's home town of Okayama, we went to a variety store on Christmas. Staff were - more or less aptly - dressed for the season (posted 2025-12-15).
- A scene of vivid autumn colors from Showa Memorial Park in Tachikawa, Tokyo. This image was taken 19 years ago, on the first date with the woman who has now been my wife for more than 18 years. (posted 2025-12-08).
- In contrast, a very recent photo taken just a few days ago of the late-autumn sun setting behind a backstreet in my neighborhood in the Itabashi Ward of Tokyo (posted 2025-12-11).
- Shot on film, these autumnal photos from Naka-in Temple in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, depict some serene impressions from a visit to this old Tendai Buddhist monastery (posted 2025-12-02).
- Izakaya (Japanese pubs) in Tokyo are often tiny establishments that use outdoor seating to increase their capacity. During cold and wet weather, vinyl roofs and curtains protect patrons from the elements, such as in this example from Nakano Ward (posted 2025-11-28).
Evergreen content from my website
- As a warming contrast to the autumn and winter-themed selections above, here is a photo story about a Summer Evening around Suimon Bay in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. This is a small bay not far away from where my wife's parents live east of Okayama City, adjacent to the bigger Kojima Bay. (posted 2025-07-13).
That's all for this issue - and, in fact, for this year. Thank you for being a reader, and hope to see you again in 2026! Until then, I wish you all a peaceful and festive holiday season. 🎄
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Best wishes from Tokyo -
Norbert