Kentucky Fried Christmas

It’s almost Christmas time, and, in Japan, that means eating Kentucky Fried Chicken. It’s such a popular holiday tradition to have KFC on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day that Christmas time is the busiest sales period for KFC Japan.

It all started with marketing. In the 1970s, the first KFC outlet in Nagoya launched a “Kentucky for Christmas!” campaign (Kurisumasu ni wa Kentakkii). Due to a variety of factors, like most Japanese homes not having ovens, no strong traditional Christmas foods in Japan, fried chicken already being a familiar and popular item in Japan, and KFC marketing their fried chicken as a Western Christmas-style item, it caught on and has flourished in the 50 years since.

How amazing that a marketing campaign in Nagoya in the 70s has turned into such a cultural phenomenon, with Japanese people looking forward to KFC for Christmas, even pre-ordering weeks to months in advance to make sure they get what they want, as many items sell out and are unavailable for walk-in purchase.

Getting into the holiday spirit, many KFCs in Japan will dress their Colonel Sanders statues in Santa costumes, and also offer special seasonal menu items. If you happen to be in Japan during Christmas, you’ll notice the long lines at KFC.

Part of the perfect storm for this tradition is that Christmas in Japan is a mostly secular tradition, and Christmas Eve in particular is viewed as a romantic occasion for couples. Now, those couples make their Christmas dates at KFC.

Sarcasm and American Jokes

Many years ago, I was hanging out with a group of Japanese people, and I said something sarcastic that probably would have gone over well in America, but was only met with blank stares, confusion, and even some irritation by the Japanese people I was with. The tension was diffused by my Japanese friend, who had spent a lot of time around foreigners. He explained to the other people that I was simply making an “American Joke,” which is an expression in Japan for American or Western humor that doesn’t translate well into Japanese. In other words, he was saying, “Sorry for the lame, unfunny thing my American friend said; he was just trying to be funny.” This explanation was accepted, and everyone moved on.

That’s how I learned that sarcasm doesn’t work the same way in Japan as it does in America or other Western cultures. It’s not that it completely doesn’t exist, it’s just not as obvious, and it is easy for it to be taken the wrong way and perceived as rude or confusing, and thus create an awkward situation.

Since then, I tend to steer clear of using sarcasm.

Looking Towards the New Year

Today marks the end of year 2 of Japan or Die.

It’s been quite a journey so far. The newsletter has grown from 20 subscribers (friends and family) in January 2024 to nearly 4,000 today. I’ve sent 88 issues containing over 250 topics total (all available in the online archives for paid subscribers).

It’s been much more challenging and rewarding than I could have imagined.

The best part is talking with readers via email, and meeting you in person during the yokocho tours (and other in-person meet-ups). And for those who’ve signed up for travel consults, I look forward to meeting with you as well!

I’m grateful for your interest, curiosity, and kindness. And, most importantly, the friendships that have sprung from this endeavor.

My grandmother always said, if you don’t ask, you don’t get. So I’m asking very directly for your financial support. It is vital for the continuation of this newsletter.

Please upgrade to a paid subscription to help keep this newsletter going. There are a number of paid subscriber bonuses that come with those subscriptions. You can see what they are just by clicking the upgrade button.

I will be taking the rest of the year off from writing newsletters so I can finish the Kyoto Guide and the Tokyo Restaurant Confidential. Both will be coming out in January and are two of the bonuses included with paid membership. Currently, every level of paid membership will receive these bonuses.

Last week’s top 4 most clicked links:

This book, which delves into why “Tokyo is one of the most vibrant and livable cities on the planet” (currently over 40% off)

This cookbook that “explores the pantry items essential to Japanese home cooking”

These made-in-Japan nail-clippers which make great stocking stuffers and are so much better than whatever you are using now. I’ve always recommended buying these as a souvenir from (Tokyu) Hands while in Japan, but times change, and you no longer need to go to Japan to get them.

The one inexpensive item everyone should buy before visiting Japan.

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