1 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 1: Frosted window panes, candles gleaming inside painted candy canes on 2 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:18,640 Speaker 1: the tree. That is how Frank Sinatra once set the 3 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 1: scene in the song The Christmas Waltz. But over in Japan, 4 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: there you will find a Christmas tree adorned with golden 5 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:31,319 Speaker 1: paper fans that twinkles and shines, decorated with ornaments like 6 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:36,199 Speaker 1: the Origami crane, a symbol of hope, luck and longevity. 7 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:41,520 Speaker 1: And imagine the Toshi Khan's anime film Tokyo Godfathers quietly 8 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: playing on the TV in the background while a Japanese 9 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: family sits down to their Christmas dinner, enormous party barrels 10 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: of Kentucky fried chicken. Okay, you may have questions when 11 00:00:55,560 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 1: Americans imagine Christmas, it looks like what mistletoe? Perhaps the 12 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 1: movie Diehard streaming presence under the tree and a feast 13 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: of roasted meats and baked pies. But in Japan, Kurusumasu, 14 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 1: which means Christmas, is celebrated in its own unique way. 15 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 1: So light your limited edition KFC scented fireplace log and 16 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 1: hang your golden drumstick ornament. Settle in for the story 17 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 1: of how Kentucky for Christmas became a cultural juggernaut in 18 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: the least likely place. Welcome to very special episodes and 19 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: iHeart original podcast. I'm your host, Zarin Burnett and this 20 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: is Kentucky Fried Christmas. 21 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 2: Welcome back to very special episodes. My name is Jason English. 22 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 2: I'm gonna keep it short and sweet at the top here. 23 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 2: One of our buddies traditions on this show is to 24 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 2: let Zaren run with the holiday episode. Last year he 25 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 2: covered the growing problem of baby Jesus steps from nativity 26 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 2: scenes everywhere. It's definitely worth scrolling back and finding that one. 27 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 2: If you haven't listened already, we can put a link 28 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 2: in the show notes. This year's Aaron is in Japan. 29 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 2: He's going to talk to us about the unexpected role 30 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 2: that one American fast food chain plays in Japanese culture 31 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 2: this time of year. 32 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 3: Enjoy My introduction to all this started when this dear 33 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 3: elderly friend of ours rang our doorbell on Christmas Eve 34 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 3: and handed us this bucket of Kentucky Fried chicken with 35 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 3: great pride and kindness, and we were like, WHOA, what 36 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 3: is this? 37 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: To understand how this all feels on the ground, we 38 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 1: needed a guide. Diane Tincher is uniquely qualified. She's a 39 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: Japanese government licensed tour guide and interpreter and creator of 40 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: More than Tokyo. She's an American who's been living in 41 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: Japan since nineteen eighty seven. Japan is overwhelmingly a Buddhist 42 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 1: and Shinto nation, not Christian, so Japanese Christmas doesn't carry 43 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: any significant religious connotations and never really has. Though an 44 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: estimated three point five million families celebrate. It's not a 45 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 1: national holiday. It's a regular day people go to work 46 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 1: and school. However, Japanese Christmas is becoming a full fledged 47 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: cultural event. It's a fairly new thing, a celebration that's 48 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: been adopted and adapted to suit Japanese culture, creating a 49 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: distinctly Japanese holiday. When the gen Z generation of Japan 50 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: was recently asked what occasion they wanted to participate in, 51 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: most of all the answer was Christmas, and overwhelmingly so. 52 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: Kentucky Christmas predates gen Z. If you were living in 53 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:07,839 Speaker 1: Japan in the early nineteen seventies, Western fast food franchises 54 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 1: started popping up in your town left and right. That 55 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 1: included popular American brands like McDonald's and Baskin Robbins. The 56 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:20,800 Speaker 1: author of Tokyo Geek's Guide, Gianni Simone has lived in 57 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: Japan for more than thirty years. While he wasn't there 58 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: for the first fast food openings, he does know the 59 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: history of their arrival. 60 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 4: Kevsey is the first American fast food chain to be 61 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 4: introduced in Japan, and it was followed one year later 62 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:44,800 Speaker 4: by McDonalds. So you'll have lombarderos. You had fast food 63 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 4: joints everywhere. 64 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:51,280 Speaker 1: Following a successful test store at the Japan World Exposition 65 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 1: in nineteen seventy, the first full sized Kentucky Fried Chicken 66 00:04:56,279 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 1: opened on November twenty first, nineteen seventy. Takeshi Okawata was 67 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 1: the first franchise owner, and that first store was a struggle. 68 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 1: There were no lines of customers snaking its way down 69 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: the street for his chicken. 70 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 3: Mister Okawata was working for a Nippon paper company and 71 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,160 Speaker 3: he was supplying paper to the different fast food stalls 72 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:22,480 Speaker 3: that were represented, one of which was Kentucky Fried Chicken, 73 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 3: and he was watching that stall sell thousands of meals 74 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,279 Speaker 3: every day. So he was like, what is this And 75 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 3: he looked into it and he was like, oh, this 76 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:34,919 Speaker 3: Colonel Sanders guy, he's my hero. He worked so hard, 77 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 3: and finally, after failure after failure after failure, he succeeded. 78 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 3: Oh that's what I want to do. I want to 79 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:43,479 Speaker 3: be like him, and then I can be rich too, 80 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 3: and so that'll be great. 81 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 1: After the World Exposition was over, he decided to quit 82 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: his job with the paper company and. 83 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 3: He opened up the very first Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise 84 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 3: in Nagoya. And it was a red and white striped roof, 85 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 3: and all the signage was in English, and people didn't 86 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 3: speak English, and so people walked in and like, is 87 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 3: this a barber? Do you sell chocolate? And nobody was 88 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 3: buying his chicken. So he was reduced to sleeping in 89 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 3: the back of the shop eating his leftover chicken every day. 90 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 3: But that chicken gave him hope because he loved it, 91 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:23,039 Speaker 3: so he I'm just going to keep on. 92 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:29,159 Speaker 1: According to KFC Japan, the official story of how a 93 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 1: near failure turned into a nationwide Christmas chicken phenomenon is 94 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 1: pretty simple. A foreigner suggested that with no turkeys around 95 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 1: for roasting, the company should push its chicken for Christmas. 96 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: But that origin story, well, it lacks the meat. Diane 97 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 1: tells it better from the perspective of Takashioka Water. 98 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:55,159 Speaker 3: Then one day he got his big break. A Catholic 99 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 3: sister called him from a kindergarten said we'll buy your 100 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:01,479 Speaker 3: chicken and we want a Will you be the Santa 101 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 3: at our party? And he's like, oh, I have no choice. 102 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:07,919 Speaker 3: She's going to buy my chicken. So he had also 103 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 3: gone to Jesuit schools, so he was one of the 104 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 3: very few people in the country that actually understood what 105 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 3: Christmas was, you know, the real meaning of the Catholic 106 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:20,120 Speaker 3: Christmas that he had gone to school and learned, so 107 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 3: nobody really knew what it was about, but he did. 108 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 3: So he goes and he's like, ah, I put on 109 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 3: a Santa suit and I grabbed my barrel of chicken 110 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:34,480 Speaker 3: and I danced in front of the kids Christmas, Christmas, Kentucky, Christmas, Happy, Happy, 111 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:37,760 Speaker 3: and the kids just loved it. And he's like, Aha, 112 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 3: that gives me an idea. I think I'll market this 113 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 3: as a Christmas. 114 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: Food and he did in nineteen seventy four, and he 115 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 1: saw a measure of success. Things were looking up. When 116 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 1: he was lucky to have another break. Japan's National Broadcasting 117 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: Company NHK interviewed him about his store and Kentucky for Christmas, 118 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 1: and when they asked him, is fried chicken a common 119 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:11,480 Speaker 1: Christmas food in foreign countries, he did what any ambitious 120 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 1: entrepreneur would do. He lied. It was a little White lie. 121 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 1: But still Takashi knew it wasn't true, but he also 122 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 1: knew that Western culture was really popular in Japan at 123 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 1: that time, and well, the rest is history. In twenty eighteen, 124 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 1: about forty five years later, he confessed his deception, saying, quote, 125 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: I know that the people are not eating chicken, they're 126 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:38,920 Speaker 1: eating turkey. But I said, yes, it was a lie. 127 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 1: I still regret that, but people like it, so that's right. 128 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 1: KFC is popular at Japanese Christmas because of his successful 129 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: marketing campaign that started in the nineteen seventies based on 130 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 1: a little White lie. Advertisements around the Kentucky Christmas party 131 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 1: barrels were complimented by Steve even Foster's song My Old 132 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 1: Kentucky Home, which is Kentucky state song, and it's debated 133 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: whether this song has over time become a Christmas song 134 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 1: in Japan. The weeks leading up to Christmas are when 135 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 1: KFC Japan sees its biggest sales due to high demand, 136 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:23,199 Speaker 1: especially on Christmas Eve. If you don't pre order your meal, 137 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 1: which you can do starting just after Halloween, you may 138 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 1: be in for a very long wait. We're talking an 139 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:33,319 Speaker 1: hour or more depending on the restaurant's location. 140 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 3: And yes, indeed people do line up. They have traffic 141 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 3: directors outside. You know it's a big deal. You don't 142 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 3: go down the KFC street on Christmas Eve unless you 143 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 3: want to be in a traffic jam. 144 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: Roughly eight hundred thousand Japanese Christmas party packs and three 145 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 1: hundred thousand of the larger party barrels of fried chicken 146 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 1: are sold during the Christmas season. All told, this makes 147 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 1: up around a third of the total yearly sales for 148 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 1: KFC Japan today. There are more than twelve hundred locations 149 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: across Japan, and all are happy to sell you fried 150 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:14,320 Speaker 1: chicken for the holidays. But what you get in Japan 151 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 1: isn't exactly your typical bucket of KFC. Now. While turkey 152 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 1: and ham are common Christmas dishes on tables across North America, 153 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 1: don't expect to see your traditional Western favorites on their menu. 154 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 1: KFC Japan's menu year round has items you won't see 155 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: on American menus like spicy miso, garlic chicken egg tarts 156 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: or how about chocolate pie. 157 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 4: Of course, they have done a lot of localization, so 158 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:49,199 Speaker 4: we have our Japan's versions like karaake burgers, taraaki is 159 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:53,199 Speaker 4: a special sweet sauce, and yeah, every year they come 160 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 4: up with Japanese twist to the original recipes. 161 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 1: The holiday menu varies from year to year, with special 162 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 1: items to choose from. Think whole roast chicken, lasagna, shrimp grotten, 163 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 1: and a dessert like triple berried tira massoux or glassiges 164 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:15,840 Speaker 1: al chokolat. Special sides come and go, but fried chicken 165 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 1: is always on the menu, and some years party barrels 166 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 1: also include a bottle of wine. In twenty twenty five, 167 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 1: as Diane tells us altogether quote it costs about thirty 168 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:31,440 Speaker 1: five dollars for a Christmas bucket. While you may devour 169 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:34,520 Speaker 1: that tira massou like Santa Claus would put away a 170 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 1: plate of cookies, be sure to save space for the 171 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:42,080 Speaker 1: quote traditional Japanese Christmas cake, which is a sponge cake 172 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 1: with cream and strawberries. It's an important part of the 173 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 1: holiday menu, but it's not a part of the KFC 174 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 1: holiday offerings, the cake is purchased separately. And speaking of 175 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 1: that jolly fellow whose belly shakes like a bowl full 176 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:03,080 Speaker 1: of jelly. Just as Christmas celebrations differ greatly from country 177 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:06,440 Speaker 1: to country and culture to culture, so does Santa Claus. 178 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:11,280 Speaker 1: Every Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise has a life size statue 179 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:15,199 Speaker 1: of Colonel Sanders out front, and at Christmas, the Colonel 180 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 1: dons a more festive look Santa Sanders. While Santa Sanders 181 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:24,320 Speaker 1: may not bring presents to all the good children, he 182 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 1: does deliver the Christmas spirit. You may be thinking, so 183 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:30,960 Speaker 1: wait for Japanese Christmas. There are no rapped gifts in 184 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:35,200 Speaker 1: presence exchanged. Well that's true kind of, but there are 185 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: some here we'll have Gianni explain. 186 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,680 Speaker 4: So if you have a family and children, now children 187 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 4: expect to find a few guests under the tree. Depending 188 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:49,680 Speaker 4: on the family, maybe younger family is even a husband 189 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:55,320 Speaker 4: and wife exchange presence, but I think a children are. 190 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 4: If you are in a family in situation, the children 191 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 4: out of the focus. Ob miss holiday, O miss event. 192 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:09,360 Speaker 1: The Christmas season arrives like a wintertime change in the 193 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: air pretty much right after Halloween. That's when you want 194 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:16,319 Speaker 1: to pre order your holiday KFC bucket or barrel of 195 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:20,439 Speaker 1: fried chicken. After you do that, there are many elaborate 196 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 1: winter illuminations to get you in the mood, such as 197 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 1: decorated trees and Christmas related displays and seasonal decorations that 198 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:34,080 Speaker 1: light up the parks, the streets, buildings, and storefronts. The 199 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:38,640 Speaker 1: country transforms into a winter wonderland. Some of the more 200 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 1: extravagant Christmas displays can be found in Tokyo's Maronouchi District 201 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:46,319 Speaker 1: and Kyoto's Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. 202 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:49,560 Speaker 3: Gins Us like the Fifth Avenue of Tokyo. 203 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:56,080 Speaker 1: Christmas markets are also popular. Modeled after traditional German Christmas markets, 204 00:13:56,400 --> 00:14:01,240 Speaker 1: you'll find vendors selling everything from ornham to mulled wine. 205 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:06,920 Speaker 1: In this Germanic semi Dickenzian scene, it's a perfect place 206 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 1: for some wintertime romance. Think cozy couples sharing warm drinks 207 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 1: their noses rubbing. While a Kentucky for Christmas celebration has 208 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 1: a family feel, there's also an unmistakable romantic side to 209 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: this day. Christmas Eve in Japan has become something akin 210 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: to Valentine's Day. You could say it's the ultimate date 211 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: night and that's with or without a KFC feast. Couples 212 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:39,000 Speaker 1: mark the occasion by exchanging gifts and enjoying dinner together 213 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 1: in upscale restaurants on Christmas Eve. As a result, now 214 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 1: restaurants and hotels offer special romance packages. Some popular activities 215 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 1: for couples include viewing the winter illuminations and holiday displays, 216 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: visiting Christmas markets, and of course enjoying festive meals and 217 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:01,000 Speaker 1: theme drinks. 218 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 4: If you stroll around Tokyo and different districts, it's really 219 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 4: really huge and they heavy illuminations. Also in amusement parks 220 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 4: with special nights. Baby amusement parks are open for special 221 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:21,640 Speaker 4: nights in the evening, especially for Christmas holidays, and the 222 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 4: illuminations are also partly related to what we were talking 223 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 4: about about Christmas as a romantic date event. Yes, because 224 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:34,160 Speaker 4: of course it's all about spending and enjoying. 225 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: While Christmas is a fun, chicken and romance filled day, 226 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 1: it really all comes down to the New Year's celebration. 227 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 1: That's the most important winter holiday in Japan. Well, Japanese 228 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 1: Christmas gifts are usually thoughtful and small and enjoyed. They're 229 00:15:56,920 --> 00:16:01,000 Speaker 1: not really expected. Christmas is not seen a major gift 230 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 1: giving holiday. But that said, gift giving is far more 231 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 1: serious during the New Year, which gets celebrated on January first, 232 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 1: with festivities typically lasting through January third. So don't mistake 233 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 1: it for the Christmas spirit. It's its own thing. Diane 234 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 1: told us New Year's is the single biggest holiday in 235 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: Japan when she was first in Japan, and she was 236 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 1: surprised to learn all the shops were closed for three 237 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:32,280 Speaker 1: days for New Year's celebrations. 238 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 3: That's when the spirits of the ancestors come back and 239 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 3: chill with their family, and the God of the New 240 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 3: Year comes down, and it's like a big event. But 241 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 3: at the end of the year there's all kinds of parties, 242 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 3: and one might be forgiven for thinking, oh, people are 243 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 3: having Christmas parties, but no, they're called bonen KUIs, and 244 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 3: that means the forget the year party, and so they 245 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 3: have a big party at the end of the year. 246 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:55,600 Speaker 3: And Japanese people traditionally give gifts at the end of 247 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 3: the years, but they're not Christmas gifts. Those are thank 248 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 3: you gifts for your service, for whatever kindness you showed 249 00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:06,280 Speaker 3: me in the last year and for the next year, 250 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:09,520 Speaker 3: please and thank you. In advanced kind of thing. 251 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:17,360 Speaker 1: And that, friends, is how to have Kentucky for Christmas. 252 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 1: This year, May we suggest you consider leaving out at 253 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 1: the very least an eight piece extra crispy festive feast 254 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: and gravy flight for your favorite Santa. 255 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:33,280 Speaker 3: Yes, it's more than just a nice meal at Christmas. 256 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:37,160 Speaker 3: Let me tell you, it is a countrywide phenomenon. 257 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 1: And as for Takeshio Kawara, the man behind the popularity 258 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:45,840 Speaker 1: of Japanese Christmas, he went on to become president and 259 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:50,160 Speaker 1: CEO of Kentucky Fried Chicken Japan for two decades from 260 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:53,240 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty four to two thousand and two. Not bad 261 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:56,680 Speaker 1: for a man who was once just a jolly dancing Santa. 262 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:06,399 Speaker 2: Very Special Episodes is made by some very special people. 263 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:10,399 Speaker 2: Our show was hosted by Zaren Burnett, Danas Schwartz and 264 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 2: Jason English. Today's episode was written by Maria Tremarky. Our 265 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 2: senior producer is Josh Fisher. Editing and sound design by 266 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:24,960 Speaker 2: Chris Childs, fixing and mastering by Chris Childs. Original music 267 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:30,399 Speaker 2: by Alice McCoy, Show logo by Lucy Quintania that our 268 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:33,920 Speaker 2: executive producer is Jason English. If you have a question, 269 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 2: a comment, another fast food tradition we should cover in 270 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:41,399 Speaker 2: a future episode. Shoot us an email Very Special Episodes 271 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:44,280 Speaker 2: at gmail dot com. We're going to be offered in 272 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 2: the next couple of weeks. Might do some best of 273 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 2: stuff next week, but then we're going to be offer 274 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 2: part of January as we reload, get ready for our Olympics, 275 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 2: super Bowl, some field reporting stuff in the work. So 276 00:18:57,560 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 2: big year coming twenty twenty six. Thank you to every 277 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:03,720 Speaker 2: one for listening, telling your friends about the show. Really 278 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:08,640 Speaker 2: appreciate you, and keep those emails coming. Very Special Episodes 279 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 2: is a production of iHeart Podcasts.