I am a Japanese American—specifically, I am a yonsei, or a fourth generation Japanese American. As such, my parents have been to Japan several times, and I have grown up hearing stories about their different travels and adventures while abroad. From a young age, I remember looking through photo albums documenting their walks in Maruyama Park or their meals inside cafes in Tokyo. In particular, one topic from their stories that has always interested me were the different ways that cultures celebrated holidays. In Japan, for example, it is common to have fried chicken—particularly, the Colonel’s Kentucky Fried Chicken—for Christmas dinner. Upon further research, I have found that the history of this tradition is quite fascinating!
One documentary, aptly named, “The Colonel Comes to Japan,” traces the linage of Japan’s fast food industry and the popularization of fried chicken for Christmas. According to the film, the first KFC store opened in 1970, and, in 1974, the chain launched an official “Kentucky for Christmas” advertising campaign!
The first KFC store manager in Japan, Takeshi Okawara, asserts that he awoke from a dream at midnight that told him to sell a “party barrel” on Christmas; to him, this idea made sense because foreigners who spent winter in Japan needed a turkey substitute for holiday dinner. He thought, “Why not fried chicken?” Subsequently, the trend caught on. In the 2020s, KFC Japan’s busiest day continues to be December 24th, when they sell about 5 to 10 times more than on typical days.
As a Japanese-American, this story is fascinating for several different reasons. Foremost, it is interesting to see two separate aspects of my ancestry and identity merging in such a vibrant, unexpected way. The stereotypes and cultural ideas surrounding both Kentucky Fried Chicken and Japan are very different, and this is just one more reminder that there is so much more to people than the surface-level expectations the world may thrust upon them.
More than anything, this topic, for me, is also a reminder of how fundamentally important and human the celebration of holidays is. No matter the country or language, times of rest, healing, introspection, and family are essential to not only the functioning of society, but, more importantly, to the happiness and fulfillment of people. Though numbers and math are commonly regarded as the universal language, I would argue that our holidays—our rituals of celebration and festivity—are connections inherent to every person in the world.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/kfc-christmas-tradition-japan/index.html
https://www.tablecheck.com/en/blog/kfc-christmas-in-japan-unique-holiday-tradition/
