Christmas in Japan

If you walked around Japan on Christmas Day, you wouldn’t notice too much that’s different or out of the ordinary. All the shops would be appropriately decorated and seasonal foods would be seen on advertisements, Christmas music would be playing, and just about everything would be urging you to get into the Christmas spirit. In Japan, however, Christmas is not religiously celebrated (I guess it’s becoming less and less religious around the world too). It’s also not a day that’s about Santa Claus either. Instead, it’s more about him and his wife and what they do together, if you catch my drift. Ho ho ho! ♪

Many articles have been written about Christmas in Japan, from the finger lickin’ good KFC Christmas dinners to lovely strawberry shortcakes to the conspiracy that Santa Claus is actually Japanese. What we haven’t covered, though, is what Christmas means to Japanese couples, so I’d like to do that.

In fact, as many of you may already know, Christmas in Japan is not for families. It’s for couples. Granted, if you’re still a child you can still expect a gift or two, but once you’re grown up, unless you’re dating someone, don’t expect to be doing much Christmas celebrating. Japanese couples go on dates on Christmas because they think it’s romantic for them to go out on that day.

Actually, Christmas Eve has become, perhaps, the most romantic night of the year in Japan. It’s a day for couples to celebrate each other in every possible way. All of the fancy restaurants will be holding special reservations from months in advance and many expensive items move off the shelves at this time. I’d also like to recommend not getting married on Christmas Eve because every honeymoon suite and every hotel in Japan will be booked. It is indeed a day for lovers.

Why Is Christmas So Romantic?

So why in the world is Christmas so romantic? Of course there are Christmas lights and decorations all through the city streets, in shops, on buildings, and even in theme parks. They help to get couples into the romantic mood! Magazines and TV programs have a great deal of influence in convincing young people to go out on Christmas Eve as well. Just like everywhere else, there are groups that want you to spend your money on Christmas. In Japan, it just happens to be couples, so hotels, jewelry stores, and the like will push really hard to make sure you spend the big yen for your loved one.

There are also lots of magazine guides that inform people where to go in order to have a successful and romantic Christmas date. And on TV, there are lots of programs introducing dating spots for this particular day. Young people think they need a boyfriend/girlfriend on Christmas Eve and if they don’t have a partner when that day comes they sometimes will feel ashamed or depressed. It’s large enough of a phenomenon that it is well known that many single people try their hardest to get a boyfriend or girlfriend in the weeks approaching Christmas Eve.

So, a combination of social pressure, Christmas lights, and a lot of advertising dollars make this the most romantic Japanese day of the year. It’s not so dissimilar to Valentine’s Day in America or Canada, though I think Japan tends to go a little crazy on holidays like this.

Christmas For a Japanese Person who is dating a non-Japanese

I think that “Christmas for couples” is acceptable as long as you are dating a Japanese person. For Western people, it’s usually a time to spend with family, though sometimes your partner is considered family in a way (but you don’t go off on a romantic date exclusive to you two). This difference between cultures can sometimes cause issues when a non-Japanese and Japanese person are dating. According to one woman who is dating an Italian man, for example, she becomes envious of her Japanese friends every Christmas. Let’s see why.

欧米ではクリスマスや年末年始などのイベントは家族で過ごすことが当たり前だそうで、彼と一緒に過ごすことができません。日本では、クリスマスは恋人と過ごしている友人が多くてうらやましい！
“My boyfriend is Italian. In Western cultures, it seems that people spend Christmas with their family, so I can’t be with my boyfriend. I’m jealous of my Japanese friends who can spend their Christmas with their boyfriends or girlfriends.” source: 国際恋愛「外国人と交際していて○○に驚いた」トレンドニュース

Although another anonymous person complained that she has to stay in Japan because of her job while her American boyfriend goes back to his country for Christmas, another Japanese guy who is dating an Australian woman says that he enjoys going to visit her family during Christmas. It is a bit of a rush though, because Japanese people don’t get Christmas holidays, so he has to get to the airport on the 23rd in order to make it on time for Christmas.

A similar thing happened to me once when my husband (boyfriend, at that time) and I were in Japan, though I wasn’t planning to spend Christmas alone with my boyfriend. I was actually planning to have a Christmas party in my apartment on the 25th and invited some friends. Of course I invited him, too, however at that time his brother was also in Japan and they were both planning to Skype their family from his brother’s house. I was also invited to join, but I had already made plans with my friends. I asked if it’s okay to take my friends there, too, but his brother wanted to keep it as a family thing. Taking friends there wasn’t acceptable! I ended up having the party without him and we had a great time. Of course, we bought KFC, which I should tell you is much different on Christmas than it is on normal days. They sell a really fancy chicken dinner (only for X’mas) and open a lot of wine bottles. Awww, it was such a good time! You may have thought my boyfriend and I could have had our romantic Christmas date on Christmas Eve, but we attended a mutual friend’s Christmas party, instead.

These are first world Christmas problems indeed!

The Lame Christmases That Turn Men Away

I previously wrote about the type of love confessions and birthday plans that turn women off, but I finally came across something that turn men away on Menjoy!. So, what kind of women’s behavior done on Christmas day has the power to make men think differently about them? Let’s read some responses in Japanese to find out. Pay attention, ladies!

ふだん行き慣れていない高級イタリアンや高級フレンチで明らかに挙動が不審な女性。レストランの席に通されるときから、歩き方がぎこちないとか、フィンガーボールの水を見て“おいしそうね”と言う女性。残念ですよね
I would turn away if my girlfriend got apparently nervous and behaved restlessly in a fancy Italian restaurant or a fancy French restaurant. For example, while we were guided to our table, if she walked like a robot, I would feel sad. It would also be pathetic if she were to say “looks tasty” while looking at the water in the finger bowl.

Aww! It kind of sounds like me. I’m certainly not used to such restaurants. I actually don’t like this quote. It makes me upset. If you complain that your girlfriend feels out of place in such restaurants, it would be your fault for not taking her to them often enough. *Angry*

クリスマスイブの日限定で網タイツを履く女性の心理は、だいたい察しがつきますが、ちょっとやる気まんまんすぎてドン引きしますよね。女性の気持ちを考えると、男性としてその気持ちを受け止めてあげたいのは山々ですが……
I understand that women want to dress up and wear fishnet stockings on Christmas Eve because they never get a chance to wear them, but it turns me off because I can’t help feeling that she got all pumped up and too excited about the whole thing. I considered her feelings and I really wanted to accept what she did for me, but I couldn’t help but say no.

とってつけたような勝負下着を着た女にどんびきした。クリスマスデートは、男女ともに下着には気を遣っていると思います。あまりに気遣いが極端になると、見たこともない真っ赤な下着とか、総レースのすごくゴージャスな下着とか、そういうものを身につける女性もいると思います。見慣れないものを見ると、びっくりするのが男性です。
I was turned off by a woman who was uncharacteristically wearing sexy underwear. For Christmas dates, both women and men are very careful about their choice in underwear, but there are some women who care too much and choose very red or 100% lace lingerie. However, guys will be shocked if they looked at something they aren’t used to.

「サンタさんの格好をした自分」をプレゼントされてどんびきした。
She tried to give herself to me while she was wearing a Santa costume. I was turned off.

These reactions might only happen among Japanese men (again, not all Japanese men think this way), but they tend to turn down women if they come off as too sexy in such situations. For example, I’ve heard many guys talk like this before: If a woman walks out of the bathroom naked after a shower, it disgusts them because those women don’t have any shyness. Apparently, acting shy will make girls seem “cute” for guys, and being a “cute girl” is what many Japanese girls strive to be. Thus, wearing fishnet stockings or gorgeous lingerie or being a sexy Santa can come off as the opposite of shy and the poor women failed to be the “cute girl” that some men require.

男に相談せずにホテルの部屋を予約する女にどんびきした。クリスマスイブとはいつのことかと言えば、それは月末であり、会社によっては25日の締め日前のすごく忙しい日です。そういうときに、横浜の●●ホテルに19時待ち合わせと言われても、すぐに行けないのです
I was turned off when my girlfriend made a reservation at a hotel without asking me a thing. Christmas Eve is the end of month and it could be such a busy day because the 25th of every month is a typical deadline date, depending on the company. At such a time, if I was told, “We are going to meet up at 7p.m. at the XXX hotel in Yokohama”, of course, I can’t be there on time.

Considering that there aren’t any Christmas holidays in Japan and how Japanese men prioritize business over relationships, this is very likely to happen, especially when Christmas Eve falls on a weekday. Although she probably just wanted to make him happy with her surprise, she should have asked him about his schedule first.

レストランでケーキを食べて、家でもケーキを食べることにどんびきした。このパターンは正直、苦手な男性のほうが多いのではないでしょうか。1日に2つ以上のケーキを食べることに男性は慣れていません。
I was turned off of by my girlfriend when we had to eat cake in the restaurant and then another cake at home afterward. I’d say most guys are bad at this, right? Guys aren’t used to eating two or more pieces of cake a day.

Personally, I’m a fan of cake (I should actually say I’m a fan of Japanese cake because Canadian cake is too sweet, except for homemade ones.) I may break up with him if he blamed me for finding two separate occasions to eat cake in one day. Instead of blaming her, he simply should have given her his portion, then they both would have been happy.

A recent cake that my husband and I made was “bacon topped maple buttercream cupcakes” and, by the way, they were really good. I wouldn’t mind extra portions of that!

値段も見ずにワインをどんどん飲む女にどんびきした。レストランでワインを頼む女性は要注意です。お店によっては、女性が見るメニューには金額が書いていないこともあります。男性が見るメニューには金額を書いてあります。女性がワインを頼むたびに男性はドキッとします
I was turned off of a woman who drank wine like a bear without looking at the price. I would say that we should be aware of women who order wine in restaurants, depending on the restaurant. Prices aren’t on the menu for women, but they are on the menu for men so that whenever a woman orders wine in a restaurant, the man might shudder.

I didn’t know that such “sexist” restaurants existed. Although wine is said to be good for your heart, it wouldn’t be very good for men’s hearts to go to such restaurants and have to spend so much money on the wine. It can get expensive!

クリスマスツリーと一緒に鏡餅も買ってくる女にどんびきした。クリスマスデートをしたら、次に彼氏と会えるのが29日だから……といって、クリスマスツリーと一緒に鏡餅まで買ってくるのは、気が利いているようで“おいおい”ってなるでしょうね。気が早すぎるのです。
I was turned off when she bought ‘kagamimochi’ (a New Years decoration made of rice cakes) and a Christmas tree. She said she bought kagamimochi and the Christmas tree at the same time because she figured the next time we would meet would be after Christmas (the 29th) and too late to prepare for New Years. It was done as a favor, but to me, it was too early and ruined the Christmas mood.

Buying those New Years goods beforehand may be okay, but bringing them on Christmas day doesn’t sound right. Maybe you should have just told him that you would buy them for him and take it to him on 29th, instead. The thought was there, at least. It’s hard for me to understand why this would make you like somebody less.

25日の0時すぎにコンビニでクリスマスケーキの半額交渉をする女にどんびきした。
I was turned off by a woman who desperately asked a convenience store clerk for a 50% discount on a Christmas cake.

Once Christmas is over the surplus of Christmas cakes typically get a huge price drop, but haggling in front of your boyfriend for so long may not appeal to some men. She may have just wanted to impress him, though. The ability to haggle well is quite the talent, actually!

キャンドルの灯りだけで過ごそうとする女にどんびきした。聖なる夜にキャンドルの灯り数本で過ごしたいという女性の気持ちはよくわかります。でも、マンションって気密性が高いので、キャンドルの煙を煙探知機が敏感に察知します。また、一酸化炭素中毒も心配です。どちらもクリアしても、壁紙に煤（すす）のにおいがついて、とれないのです。キャンドルはケーキにつけて、すぐに吹き消してほしいですよね。
I was turned off by a woman who tried to spend our whole night in candle light. I understand her feelings of wanting to spend a romantic night with a couple candles on such a night, but we were only in an apartment. Apartments are so small and compact that the fire alarm could easily go off and I’m also worried about carbon monoxide poisoning. Even though we got over those problems, it could have left a burning smell on my apartment walls. I would really love a woman who only uses candles on cakes and then blows them out right away.

This person has a fear of candles, apparently. It’s sad that he couldn’t light candles in his apartment, but I do understand how small and cramped they could be. After all, Japanese apartments are pretty tiny sometimes! Fire is definitely a legitimate concern too, especially with how closely people live next to each other.

Although I think that the guy responses are a little more shallow than past lady responses that we’ve gone through, I hope some of you are able to learn a little more about what to expect on Christmas, especially if you’re in a relationship in Japan. There are different ideals for a “good” Christmas, and if you don’t know them you could be making your significant other upset without even knowing it.

So, along with the rest of the Tofugu team, we’d like to wish you a very happy Christmas, and I hope you don’t make any of the mistakes listed above. We’ll be on a post hiatus until 2014, so please relax and enjoy the holidays until then!

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Bonus Wallpapers!

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WELL, POOP.

Be glad you’re reading this post because I’ve just illustrated a bunch of holiday gift tags and postcards that you can print out and use! Send your fellow WaniKani subscriber/BFF (of the 5ever kind) a postcard of a jolly Crabigator making a SnowKoichi! Or creep your friends out by mailing them a Kumaman postcard! (Or better yet, send Koichi a Kumaman card!) Get those gift tags printed and stick them on yo presents (pets/annoying little brothers/etc, etc.)!

Have fun printing these out as I did making them, and I hope your holidays are filled with creepy Kumamen and SnowKoichis!

Gift tags!

[Download 1600x1600 Tofugu Gift tag]

[Download 1600x1600 Kumaman Gift tag]

[Download 1600x1600 Textfugu Gift tag]

[Download 1600x1600 WaniKani Gift tag]

Postcards!

[Download 4x6 Tofugu Postcard]

[Download 4x6 Tofugu Postcard]

[Download 4x6 Kumaman Postcard]

[Download 4x6 WaniKani Postcard]

Wallpapers

Tofugu Christmas Wallpaper
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Kumaman Christmas Wallpaper
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WaniKani Christmas Wallpaper
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I hope you all enjoy our version of holiday cheer! Have a great Christmas or holiday or late December — Whatever you celebrate or don’t celebrate!

Of course, tempura wasn’t the only thing these missionaries introduced (although I’m sure glad they did, because damn, tempura done properly is so good). They also brought over the Christian religion and, not surprisingly, Christmas – which the Japanese have taken to with great gusto.

The Most Wonderful Time of The Year… Unless You’re Single

These days, come December in Japan, Christmas decorations crop up just about everywhere, hymns are constantly on the airwaves, and there’s probably a Godzilla Christmas tree at the local shopping mall. In other words: Christmas is huge in Japan, although in a strictly secular sense.

In any case, free to interpret Christmas any way they like, the Japanese have decided that it is… another Valentine’s day, basically. It’s a day for romantic dinners at expensive restaurants and letting the food get cold because couples are too busy gazing meaningfully into each others’ eyes. You know, that sort of stuff.

This Christmas-as-Valentine’s deal is not a bad idea, I guess, since Valentine’s has pretty much lost all romance in Japan: there’s hardly anything romantic about “obligatory chocolates” (義理チョコ, giri-choko) after all. So hurrah for an actual day for lovers to celebrate!

Of course, too much of a good thing is no good, and the emphasis on having someone special to spend Christmas with can get out of hand. So much so, that if you’re single on Christmas, you’re a “loser dog” (負け犬, make-inu).

But, regardless of whether you’ve got a significant other to spend Christmas with or not, Christmas in Japan just wouldn’t be the same without Japan’s “traditional” Christmas meal: a finger-lickin’ good combo of Kentucky Fried Chicken chased by some strawberry shortcake – Japanese-style, of course.

What Is This Strawberry Shortcake You Speak Of?

Unlike the dense fruitcakes of most other countries, Japan’s unofficial Christmas cake is an airy sponge cake with whipped cream and strawberries. That is to say, it’s not actually a shortcake… and strawberries? In winter?

Anyway, this Japanese-style strawberry shortcake was first sold in 1922 by Fujiya Food Service Co., Ltd., although nobody really knows who came up with it in the first place. Some claim that Fujii Rinemon, the founder of Fujiya, brought the idea back with him from the US. Others claim that Kuniteru Kadokura of Colombin Co., Ltd., was inspired by a French dessert.

Peko-chan is Fujiya’s mascot. You’ve probably come across her smiling, tongue-sticking-out face before since Fujiya also makes heaps of other sweets and stuff.

Strawberry shortcake proved so popular that once refrigerated displays became readily available in the 1960s, there was no stopping it. Nowadays you can probably get it from any bakery or convenience store in Japan. It’s such a specifically Christmas dessert, though, that after Christmas, businesses slash their prices drastically to get rid of any unsold strawberry shortcakes. Some businesses may even start dropping their prices on Christmas Eve:

These big discounts and Japan’s youth-obsessed culture meant that not too long ago, women were referred to as Christmas cakes: once past the age of 25, her value as marriage material would drop significantly (because, you know, Christmas falls on the 25th). Like most other countries, though, these days it’s normal for both men and women to marry later.

Season’s Greetings, Folks!

So, how do you plan to spend your Christmas this year? What’s your opinion on Christmas in Japan? If you’ve spent Christmas in Japan before, tell us what it was like in the comments!

DISCLAIMER:
Make-inu is a general term for loser, and its use it not restricted to singles on Christmas.

All About Hotei

Hotei is the Japanese God of Contentment and Happiness, and his legend goes all the way back to ancient China. According to the Chinese tradition, Hotei was a Zen Buddhist monk who lived in the 10th century before he became a god. In Japan, Hotei is one of the Seven Gods of Luck, lording over satisfaction, abundance, and happiness. He’s also the patron of children, fortunetellers, and bartenders.

Hotei has a shaved head, a jolly face, and a big belly which symbolizes the largeness of his soul, as well as how much Christmas cake he is capable of consuming.

Like Santa, Hotei is fat, jolly, and extremely generous. He holds a Chinese fan which was used in the olden days by nobles to indicate to their subjects that their requests would be granted. It’s probably also where Hotei writes notes about who’s been naughty and nice this year.

Now here’s where the major similarities start. Hotei also carries around a large linen bag where he stores gifts and fortunes for those who believe in him. He most often gives to the poor and needy, and his bag never empties. Hotei doesn’t have any elves or a winter workshop or anything, but who needs one when you’ve got a magic bag? This is also where he got the name Hotei, literally meaning “cloth bag” in Japanese.

Mr. Cloth Bag here is also often shown surrounded by kids, giving them candy and food. Like Santa Claus, Hotei is considered all knowing as well. You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout I’m telling you why, Ho~tei is coming to town~

Hotei is also said to bring his gifts at the same time each year when he arrives together with the six other Gods of Luck come New Year’s. And as we all know, New Year’s is awfully close to Christmas… hmm…

Before he was Legend

Hotei stands out from the other six Lucky Gods because he is the only one known to have been a real person, rather than a fabricated mythical being. His birth date is unknown, but he supposedly died in the year 916. Some say he was an incarnation of the Bodhisattva Miroku, the Buddhist Savior of the Future.

However, Hotei was kind of strange for someone who would eventually become a god. For example, he would beg for meat and fish even though they were foods forbidden to monks. For a belly that big, vegetarian monk food just wasn’t enough, I suppose.

Hotei’s appearance was also kind of unusual, being fat and scruffy and all, and to top it all off Hotei had no regular place to sleep or stay. Legend says he once slept outside during a snowstorm and didn’t get cold or wet at all. Sounds like something Santa would also be capable of, don’t you agree?

Is Santa Claus Just Hotei in Disguise?

Think about it. Look at all the similarities. Hotei has been around for a long time – maybe he got bored. He’s a god, so he’s certainly capable of delivering gifts to the entire world and not just Japan – plus Japan has six other Lucky Gods to take care of them. What if Hotei became Santa Claus?

Being the god that he is, Hotei could have just left Japan, set up shop in the North Pole, grown a beard, and bam! Santa Claus! His bag is magic, so making toys is super easy, he’d just hire a few lesser gods (the elves), find some reindeer, and he’s good to go. It all adds up. Hotei could very well be Santa Claus!

But even if Hotei isn’t Santa, he’s still a pretty cool guy. Bringing gifts and happiness to the needy, Hotei’s pretty awesome in my book.

Merry Christmas Eve, Everyone

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTJqc118-Pg']

But before I go, I’d like to leave you with an instant Christmas classic from one of the Japanese bands that just barely missed the cut for having a whole Saturday Timewaster post written about them, Momoiro Clover. Enjoy.

So tell me, what are you asking Hotei for this year? A custom Tofugu Action Ningyo, perhaps? Let us know in the comments and have a great holiday!

Sites Referenced:
Japanese Buddhist Statuary
Muza-chan’s Gate to Japan

In Japan, You Eat Chicken On Christmas

Ask almost any Japanese person (and I have asked many) why they eat KFC on Christmas. Almost every one of them will answer “isn’t that what you do?” (or, at the very least, they’ll ask “you don’t eat chicken, too?”). Apparently, over the years the colonel has been tricking Japanese people into thinking that the rest of the world does Christmas with KFC, so obviously the cool thing to do is follow suit.

Of course (unless I’m missing something here) a KFC Christmas almost anywhere else would be quite a sad affair. Even eating chicken on Christmas seems a bit weird to me, though I’m sure there are some who roast a chicken instead of a goose, or turkey, or ham, or whatever it is people normally make.

How Did This Happen?

Well, first of all, the meaning of Christmas is pretty lost in Japan. It’s almost entirely a commercial holiday (did I say almost? I meant completely). We have made up 100% commercial holidays too, though I gotta say, Japan knocks us out of the water in this category. Christmas in Japan essentially feels like a “how much can you spend on your girlfriend today?” kind of holiday. There’s a lot of pressure to buy expensive gifts (even rankings on TV showing what gifts are the best, with a very heavy focus on price), spend money on hotels, and really just spend a lot of money in between, too.

With all this focus on the commercial, it was probably super easy for KFC to slip in and take the show. All it took, I’m sure, was a few years of advertising campaigns around Christmas. I mean, c’mon, who can possibly resist Japanese commercials? I know I can’t.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJAyVZ8HiwE']

Oh, and did I mention that Colonel Sanders kind of looks like Santa? He totally does.

Other Weird Japanese Christmas “Traditions”

KFC isn’t the only thing that makes Christmas in Japan unique. There are plenty of other things that could be considered “weird,” and we wrote about a good number of them a couple of years ago right here on Tofugu. But, just to make things simple, here’s a list of weird things, along with a few new ones.

• Along with their chicken, a lot of people eat “Christmas Cake,” also because “Americans do it.” Maybe it’s just me, but I’m pretty sure people don’t eat Christmas Cake (though I guess it makes sense, after all, we are supposedly celebrating a birthday, right?).
• A lot of Japanese people get it right (and know that Christmas is to celebrate Jesus’ birthday)… but there are a good number of people who think it’s to celebrate Santa’s birthday too. I’d give it a 60% Jesus, 20% don’t know, and 20% Santa’s birthday ratio, from the asking I’ve done.
• Christmas Eve is lovey-lovey date night. It’s kind of like Valentines in a way. Guys are supposed to spend uber amounts of money on girls, and possibly rent a hotel, because that’s what guys do. Expect to see lots of TV focusing on expensive things to buy and expensive hotel rooms to rent around this time.
• Christmas Eve is a night of miracles. Thank TV for this. Usually these miracles are romance related, though.
• Although this has changed much, and the “age at which women should get married” has also become less “strict,” unmarried girls who are older than 25 (because the 25th is Christmas) are called “Christmas Cakes,” because in order to sell a Christmas Cake after Christmas, they have to be put at big discounts (i.e., you’re supposed to get married before hitting 25). Like I said, this is and has changed quite a bit.

Merry Christmas From Tofugu, Too!

Oh, and Merry Christmas to everyone out there, too! Hope you have a great holiday, no matter what you celebrate (or don’t celebrate). Festivus for the Restivus?

Merry Christmas! Go do something nice for someone.

I got this tip from Joyce, a college professor, and expert in Godzilla studies (not even kidding). She uses this as part of a lesson on cultural insight. Sounds like a fun class. Read on!

It’s funny enough to put something into an online translator to change it to Japanese, then putting it back through the opposite way to see what it comes up with, but this is on a whole new level. This is actually a version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer made just for Japan, culture insight included. Let’s take a look:

Here’s a translation of the above, in English. This is an actual translation (not put through an online translator). Let’s see what it ends up saying.

If you read through this, it’s obviously not the same as the original version. Let’s go line by line and see what’s up with it.

Everybody always laughed cruelly at the poor red-nosed reindeer.

In Japanese culture, it’s important to be a part of the group. Because Rudolph had a red nose, he was considered “different” and outside the group. This is why there is often racism problems in Japan. Because you aren’t Japanese, you aren’t a part of the group. Children (like poor Rudolph) who are different often get bullied because they aren’t the same as everyone else. Being a part of a group is so important, that many people will associate themselves as part of a group when introducing themselves. For example, I might say “Tofuguのコウイチと申します,” which means “I am Tofugu’s Koichi” or “I am Koichi from Tofugu.” Remember, if you want the full experience in Japan, join some groups/clubs!

But one Christmas Day, Old Santa Claus came to him and said, “your flashing nose could light my way on a dark street.”

If you remember the original, Santa says something more along the lines of “Rudolph with your nose so bright, you could guide my sleigh tonight.” In the Enlglish version, Rudolph is special, and Santa is very thankful for his services. In the Japanese one, Santa is like an emperor, or something. “Your flashing nose could light my way on a dark street.” It’s like Santa-sama is doing Rudolph a favor, not vice versa.

Always crying, the reindeer was suddenly delighted to be useful that special night.

Thank goodness Rudolph was able to be “useful” that night, rather than, I don’t know, saving Christmas. There’s no mention of that. He’s just another member of the group, and was able to help out, just like a good member of Japanese society, without drawing too much attention to himself.

Remember kids, if you stand out and are special, people will make fun of you. But, if you do use your powers, use them to help the group and society, but God forbid you bring attention to yourself. Actually, this is how my family tried to raise me. I don’t know how many times my Japanese grandfather told me about how nails sticking up get hammered down. Apparently, all that didn’t quite work out so well :)

Anyways, everyone have a great Christmas (or whatever you celebrate…Festivus for the restivus?). Myself, personally, I’m snowed in. Originally, I planned to leave to Hawaii yesterday, but my flight got cancelled, and the next available is a week from now, so I’ll just stick around Portland and get some extra work done. New Years is where it’s at, anyways!