KFC a Christmas Day tradition in Japan

Taking your family out for fried chicken at KFC on Christmas Day? If you were living in Japan you would.

Since only about 1% to 2% of the Japanese population is Christian, the country didn’t have many established Christmas traditions.

In 1974, KFC ran an marketing campaign, by decorating their shops for the holiday and offering set meals advertised as American style Christmas dinners, which convinced Japanese people that in the US they eat chicken at Christmas time due to a lack of turkey.

It somehow changed into a Japanese tradition with families booking months in advance to secure a table at KFC on Christmas Day. “Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii!” (Kentucky for Christmas!)

KFC Japan even sells 1% alcohol bottles of “Christmas champagne”.

So Christmas dinner in Japan means chicken, especially the Colonel’s Secret Recipe, who is a cult figure and these days, KFC records its highest sales volume each year on Christmas eve.