A Christmas tree in front of the biggest department store in my city.
This mall was displaying an illuminated Christmas tree.
Whether the religious or secular way, people like to celebrate this western culture.
A merry-go-round was decorated with the illumination.
Any couple would enjoy strolling this street.
This illumination is called "Milky Way".
At the concourse of the department store.
100 Christmas trees dedicated by children and companies in my city.
The percentage of the Japanese people who believe in Christianity is about 0.8% of our population, and most of the others believe in Shinto or Buddhism. Still, lots of people in Japan celebrate Christmas in the secular way. By "the secular way" I mean things like lovers liking to spend the 24th or 25th together, families having a special dinner, kids giving a present to each other.
As seen in the episode 11 of Lucky Star, Konata's father was going to give her a present, and this is typical of today's Japanese family. And the Japanese children would associate Christmas with Santa Claus, and guys and girls are out to find a partner to spend the holy night with before Eve comes. But I doubt most of them know that the 25th is the day when Jesus Christ was born.
When Christmas is over, people then start to think of how to celebrate New Year's Day, as it is the biggest event in a year in Japan. I'm sometimes amazed at the speed with which people switch from the Western culture to the Japanese one. But most of the shops in Japan must benefit from having the 2 big events in two weeks.
