Ever wondered how Christmas is celebrated in Japan? On Christmas day, we at the Centre for Japanese Studies present to you an insightful video on the matter from the H-Net archives to answer this question. Christmas in Japan: Globalization versus Localization (2004) by Junko Kimura and Russell Belk takes an intriguing look at the secular celebrations, where Santa is the central figure rather than Jesus Christ, children want “Christmas Cake” rather than presents and couples go on expensive dates rather than spending time with their families, something more typical of the oshōgatsu New Year’s celebrations. Most prominent is the idea of keeping the exotic exotic, where Christmas is distinctly non-Japanese and treated as a celebration of other cultures. We hope you enjoy!
Sources:
Christmas in Japan: Globalization versus Localization
A Film by Junko Kimura and Russell Belk
Odyssey Films
Salt Lake City, Utah USA
2004
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