What does Japanese Christmas Cake Mean? History and Meaning of Christmas Cake in Japan!!

November 29, 2021 Category - Culture

As I am Japanese, I used to enjoy Christmas cake every year when I was a child.

Well, even now, I might enjoy, haha.

I once thought Christmas cake is common all over the world but it was not, later I knew.

As you know, Christian is very few in Japan, not only Christion but real believers of any religion.

Then, why we have this Christmas cake and enjoy it?

I’ll tell you the story of Japanese Christmas cake and the meaning here.

Contents

1. History of Japanese Christmas Cake
2. Any Meaning for Japanese Christmas Cake?
3. Where you can buy Japanese Christmas Cake?
4. Today’s Unique Japanese Christmas Cakes
4.1. Beauty and the Beast
4.2. Hello Kitty
4.3. Demon Slayer
4.4. Pocket Monster
4.5. Masked Rider
4.6. Vegan Christmas Cake
4.7. Japanese Money
5. Summary

History of Japanese Christmas Cake

In the old days, we didn’t have the culture of having Christmas cake.
Christianity itself, we didn’t have.

Christianity was introduced to Japan in 1549 and spread but banned in early 1600.

But after the Edo period, that is, Samurai period, Japan tried to catch up with strong countries such as UK and US.
So, they introduced the culture including Christianity again in the Meiji Period (1868 -1912).

In the meanwhile, Rinemon Fujii, the founder of “Fujiya” today, opened its shop in 1910.
Today’s Fujiya is one of the biggest and very popular nationwide chain stores of confectionery in Japan.

He went to the US in 1912 to learn making of confectionery.
And encountered with Strawberry Short Cake there.

In 1922, he arranged the cake and started selling decoration cake for Christmas.

The original of today’s Christmas cake.

Sponge cake covered with dairy cream which is topped with strawberry, Santa Claus and house made of sugar.

He tried to sell this Christmas cake for Christmas.
But it was not the cake ordinary citizens could afford as it was expensive for the people in those days.
Looks like it became popular only among rich people.

With time, Christmas cake spread little by little with expanding of Fujiya .
And it finally spread in around 1975 among ordinary people, too.

First Christmas cake sold in 1922 and it became popular in around 1975.

This is how Japanese Christmas cake rooted in Japan.

Any Meaning for Japanese Christmas Cake?

To get straight to the point, there is no special meaning.

Since we were child, we just have the culture of enjoying Christmas Cake on Christmas Eve.

By the way, for Japanese people, Christmas Eve is most important, not Christmas day, so the cakes sold till 24 December.

You might find Christmas Cake sold on 25th or the next day but most people don’t buy, so they sometimes sell the cakes at a half price.

There is no religious belief except for real Christian (about 1% in Japan) when we enjoy Christmas cake.

It is just culture we familiar with since we were child.

Where you can buy Christmas Cake?

As long as you live in Japan, everywhere I can say.

Cake shop, supermarket and even at a convenience store all over Japan.

You can see Christmas cakes everywhere in December through leaflets, display, online from the middle of November.

Today, many people also go online and purchase in advance.

For those who live in overseas, I think it is very difficult.

Exporting Christmas cake is virtually impossible because the expire date is just one day.
And it is also very fragile, so many shops don’t accept even domestic delivery.

You need to check Japanese sweets shop in your city or make it by yourself.
If you make, refer to this YouTube video of how to make Christmas cake as it has also English subtitles

Christmas Recipe (HidaMari Cooking)

So if you have a chance to come visit Japan in December, don’t miss the chance to enjoy fresh Christmas cake!