Holiday Season in Japan!

I've done it again, I totally forgot about my blog. It's hard to come on here and update every day, especially when I'm just trying to enjoy every last day I have left. The end of my stay here in Japan is inching closer and closer, it's hard to even think that within months I'll be setting foot back in Australia for the first time in almost 12 months.

I think instead of long winded accounts of my time since my last blog entry, I'll keep this one shorter and a bit more focused. It's that time of the year again, it's Christmas time, a time that even comes around every year here in Japan! This country with a tiny percent of Christian population, even here the holiday comes in full force.

Walking down the streets of Kyoto it's hard to forget that the holiday you either love or hate is drawing nearer and nearer. Bright lights hang from the shopping streets, giant Santa's climbing chimneys hang from the roof. Kyoto Station has an amazing, gigantic Christmas tree making it even more beautiful than usual. That, and no matter where you go there are fantastic light displays everywhere. Here they call them simply 'Illumination', and they're a much bigger part of Christmas here than they are in Australia.

One of the biggest, is Kobe's Luminaire. I went to see this with a few friends about a week ago, and it was amazing. It's essentially a gigantic light structure that is put up every year and has been going since the tragic Kobe earthquake. Words and photos can't do it justice. It is just amazing.





One thing is very different about the holiday season in Japan, though. It is very commercial (One could argue it's commercial everywhere, though), with little meaning beyond the decorations, lights and gifts. That, and instead of spending it with family members, it is a night for couples to spend together and go out for dinner. Meaning places are always booked out with mass amounts of couples wanting to spend a special night together.

In reverse, the upcoming New Year celebration is a very family orientated event for Japanese people. Lots of people living away from their extended families in other prefectures travel home for the period and there are a lot of traditional things to take part in. I'm looking forward to both experiences!

So how am I spending Christmas night? I will be going to dinner with my girlfriend, Erika and hopefully having a great night out, despite my predictions for awful crowds. I hope everyone back home has a very Merry Christmas, and of course a Happy New Year!