Free AI web copilot to create summaries, insights and extended knowledge, download it at here

Abstract

’t are forced to persevere through long queues and wait times.</p><h1 id="1644">How did Christmas in Japan become mixed up with KFC?</h1><p id="6438">It’s all thanks to Takeshi Owara, the first KFC store manager in Japan.</p><p id="024a">In my research, I have found two accounts of how Owara came up with the idea to connect KFC and Christmas.</p><h2 id="0793">Theory 1 — The “Party Barrel” dream</h2><p id="c76d">According to this <a href="https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20161216-why-japan-celebrates-christmas-with-kfc">BBC article</a> (which quotes a KFC Japan spokesperson), Owara overheard some foreigners in his store remark that they missed having turkey for Christmas.</p><p id="eeca">After this, Owara woke up at midnight one night. He’d just dreamt up the idea to sell a “Party Barrel” on Christmas hoping it would make for a substitute for an American Christmas dinner featuring turkey. He quickly noted down the idea and later marketed the “Party Barrel” as a way to celebrate Christmas.</p><h2 id="8c87">Theory 2 — The goofy Christmas performance</h2><p id="5423">However, according to this <a href="https://blog.gaijinpot.com/the-true-story-of-why-people-in-japan-eat-kfc-at-christmas/">GaijinPot article</a>, the idea came about when a foreigner from a nearby Christian kindergarten came into Owara’s store requesting fried chicken for an upcoming Christmas party. The foreigner went a step further, requesting that someone from the store dress up as Santa to deliver it.</p><p id="c61c">Owara took up the challenge and not only delivered the fried chicken but danced and performed for the children. It was such a hit that Owara was later called on to perform by others.</p><p id="4bb0">The GaijinPot article acknowledges that the official story is different and goes on to argue that the story has changed as KFC Japan updates its company website from time to time.</p><p id="ff43">The truth?</p><p id="e6bf">Well, we don’t know! We would have to ask Owara himself. There could be elements of truth in both accounts, but for now, I’ll never know.</p><h2 id="b6ea">What happened next?</h2><p id="96ba">No matter what the exact story is, the Christmas and KFC seed was planted and, on 1 December 1974, the famous “<i>Kurisumasu ni wa Kentakkii</i>” campaign was kick-started (i.e. Kentucky for Christmas), taking Owara’s local campaign to a national audience.</p><p id="afeb">It was a huge success.</p><p id="e348">Watch some of the first campaign videos below.</p> <figure id="e5a9">

Options

       <div>
          <div>
            <img class="ratio" src="http://placehold.it/16x9">
            <iframe class="" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FJY4av7TcgPQ%3Ffeature%3Doembed&amp;display_name=YouTube&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DJY4av7TcgPQ&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FJY4av7TcgPQ%2Fhqdefault.jpg&amp;key=a19fcc184b9711e1b4764040d3dc5c07&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=youtube" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" width="854">
          </div>
        </div>
    </figure></iframe></div></div></figure><h2 id="aebd">Why was the campaign so successful?</h2><p id="362c">Before the campaign went live, Japan, which has a small Christian population of around 1%, did not have an established tradition for the Christmas period.</p><p id="f393">This presented a great opportunity for someone to fill in the gap, and that’s exactly what happened. It gave Japanese people a reason to celebrate Christmas, despite their lack of religious affiliation with the holiday.</p><p id="468a">Naturally, the success of the campaign gave Owara magnificent standing within the organisation. He went on to become the President and CEO of KFC Japan, serving between 1984 and 2002.</p><h1 id="b396">KFC in Japan today</h1><p id="53ec">Today, the connection between KFC and Christmas in Japan continues to persist. KFC specials during Christmas include bespoke items typically not seen in other markets such as wine and cake. The Colonel Sanders mascots are dressed up in Santa outfits which conveniently match the typical description of what Santa looks like (i.e. an older Caucasian gentleman with facial hair).</p><p id="8cf5">Speaking to colleagues and friends, I realised that most of them don’t have an in-depth understanding of Christmas. But this isn’t an isolated incident. Japan has periodically adopted Western traditions for commercial purposes. Just two months ago, stores were lined with Halloween-themed food and snacks. In most, if not all of these situations, there is a lack of knowledge of the significance of the occasion or holiday. It’s one of those things that just happen, but not many Japanese people can explain why.</p><p id="825b">But one thing is for sure.</p><p id="9c4d">The connection is so strong that, even in a rural area such as my own, where there is no KFC, my students still insist they will be eating fried chicken for Christmas.</p></article></body>

The Strange Story Behind Japan’s Love of Fried Chicken on Christmas

Even Most Japanese People Don’t Know the Fascinating History Behind This Delicious Tradition

I was teaching my Junior High School English class last week. I asked my students what their plans were for the upcoming winter break and more specifically what they had planned for Christmas.

Some were travelling with their family, but the majority were staying in town. I probed, “What do you do on Christmas Day?”.

The conversation went as follows:

Students: “Eat chicken. It’s tasty.” Me: “What type of chicken?” Students: *Pause* Students: “Fried chicken.”

Me: “Does everyone eat fried chicken on Christmas Day?” Students: “Yes!”

Me: “Where can I get fried chicken?” Students: “At Sunterrace!” (this is the name of our local grocery store)

Me: “But do you know why?” Students: *Pause to think* Students: “No.”

So in an attempt to educate my students (and myself), I dug a little deeper.

Enter, KFC

Japan is currently the third largest KFC market in the world only behind the US and China.

Every Christmas, about 3.6 million Japanese people treat themselves to KFC.

That’s an insane number.

Sales between 23 and 25 December account for roughly 5% of the company’s annual revenue.

Demand is so high, that most Japanese people order their KFC dinners in advance. Those who don’t are forced to persevere through long queues and wait times.

How did Christmas in Japan become mixed up with KFC?

It’s all thanks to Takeshi Owara, the first KFC store manager in Japan.

In my research, I have found two accounts of how Owara came up with the idea to connect KFC and Christmas.

Theory 1 — The “Party Barrel” dream

According to this BBC article (which quotes a KFC Japan spokesperson), Owara overheard some foreigners in his store remark that they missed having turkey for Christmas.

After this, Owara woke up at midnight one night. He’d just dreamt up the idea to sell a “Party Barrel” on Christmas hoping it would make for a substitute for an American Christmas dinner featuring turkey. He quickly noted down the idea and later marketed the “Party Barrel” as a way to celebrate Christmas.

Theory 2 — The goofy Christmas performance

However, according to this GaijinPot article, the idea came about when a foreigner from a nearby Christian kindergarten came into Owara’s store requesting fried chicken for an upcoming Christmas party. The foreigner went a step further, requesting that someone from the store dress up as Santa to deliver it.

Owara took up the challenge and not only delivered the fried chicken but danced and performed for the children. It was such a hit that Owara was later called on to perform by others.

The GaijinPot article acknowledges that the official story is different and goes on to argue that the story has changed as KFC Japan updates its company website from time to time.

The truth?

Well, we don’t know! We would have to ask Owara himself. There could be elements of truth in both accounts, but for now, I’ll never know.

What happened next?

No matter what the exact story is, the Christmas and KFC seed was planted and, on 1 December 1974, the famous “Kurisumasu ni wa Kentakkii” campaign was kick-started (i.e. Kentucky for Christmas), taking Owara’s local campaign to a national audience.

It was a huge success.

Watch some of the first campaign videos below.

Why was the campaign so successful?

Before the campaign went live, Japan, which has a small Christian population of around 1%, did not have an established tradition for the Christmas period.

This presented a great opportunity for someone to fill in the gap, and that’s exactly what happened. It gave Japanese people a reason to celebrate Christmas, despite their lack of religious affiliation with the holiday.

Naturally, the success of the campaign gave Owara magnificent standing within the organisation. He went on to become the President and CEO of KFC Japan, serving between 1984 and 2002.

KFC in Japan today

Today, the connection between KFC and Christmas in Japan continues to persist. KFC specials during Christmas include bespoke items typically not seen in other markets such as wine and cake. The Colonel Sanders mascots are dressed up in Santa outfits which conveniently match the typical description of what Santa looks like (i.e. an older Caucasian gentleman with facial hair).

Speaking to colleagues and friends, I realised that most of them don’t have an in-depth understanding of Christmas. But this isn’t an isolated incident. Japan has periodically adopted Western traditions for commercial purposes. Just two months ago, stores were lined with Halloween-themed food and snacks. In most, if not all of these situations, there is a lack of knowledge of the significance of the occasion or holiday. It’s one of those things that just happen, but not many Japanese people can explain why.

But one thing is for sure.

The connection is so strong that, even in a rural area such as my own, where there is no KFC, my students still insist they will be eating fried chicken for Christmas.