If you’re traveling around Japan in the month of December, you’ll undoubtedly see an abundance of Christmas decorations put up in stores and in public places -- it’s almost as if the nation celebrates this all-important mostly-Western holiday.
December 25th is not a national holiday in Japan, and many people don’t know the historical significance of the celebration. (Very few Japanese are Christian.) However, in recent times, many Japanese have begun to partake in the festivities just to have an extra bit of fun!
In many places in and around Osaka, you’ll often see street vendors selling Christmas cakes. These have become popular items to eat and give as gifts during the December month.
If you’re walking around town on Christmas Day, you’ll notice these vendors getting increasingly desperate to offload their wares -- you can get some very cheap cake as the night draws to a close!
On Christmas Eve, it is common for couples to go out on dates. This means that many restaurants are fully booked for the night (or have long lineups outside). Of course, Osaka is the city of food, so there’s little reason to worry about finding a place to eat! Perhaps you’d be willing to try some Japanese pancake (okonomiyaki) in place of Christmas turkey?
Although the Japanese do not customarily give gifts on Christmas Day (they leave that for New Year's Day), no one says you can't buy one for yourself! There are often many good deals around this time of year. Take a trip to Yodobashi Camera if you're willing to tempt your wallet.
