Silver Bells

I had a surprising amount of people ask me whether or not the Japanese celebrate Christmas.  It wasn't surprising in the fact they they didn't know or were asking it, but that they ... okay it was a little surprising to me.  I mean, it's Christmas.  Sure there are some religious implications there that to many who don't know much about Japan draws in some gray area.  But this is a capitalist nation with close ties to popular culture to America, Europe, and the "western" world.  Not to mention Japanese love festivals and any time to celebrate.  Naturally, when the Halloween decorations came down, the Christmas ones went up instantly.  (Now I know many Americans may find that "TOO SOON!" but keep in mind they really don't celebrate Thanksgiving so it isn't like they have any other handy holiday markers.)

Now there are their differences in Christmas here in Japan compared to what I know in the states.  But even in the states each family has their holiday celebrations in different ways.  I'm not talking about other religious holidays in the December time, such as Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or even Robanukah, but just the differences in Christmas from area to area or even family to family.  As a kid in my house, I always looked forward to Christmas Morning, but I had friends who opened their presents on Christmas Eve.  My father didn't even get his presents until after Christmas Morning Church Service, as Santa would come when they were at church.  As a child he always wondered why his mother always happened to forget something in the house and needed to run in to get it and took so long...

Being exposed to not just Japan but other exchange students from around the world you learn even more fun differences.  For example; in the Philippines they spend Christmas Eve night preparing meals and getting ready while waiting for the stroke of midnight.  At the first moment of Christmas Day they begin to celebrate.  I applaud their zeal and enthusiasm for enjoying the first minute as soon as they can.

But to those ends, if anyone outright asked me, "Sam, what are the differences between Christmas in Japan and America." The best I could give would be a few examples and a casual shrug.  I doubt I could spend 20 Christmas's here and notice all the differences, let alone how it is celebrated from place to place differently.  Here the interpretation, I would guess, falls down to the individual; with the vast majority siding with a good time to spend with friends and family and to exchange heartfelt sentiment and gifts.  That is something I can really agree with.

Now, as I am Christian, I honestly do put what I would call due significance on the religious purposes behind my celebrations on that day.  Likewise, I side with my grandmother who is prone to stating, "We may not care too much for the church, but we at least better make a good showing of it once or twice a year."  For me those days are Christmas and Easter.  Birth and Death, with a celebration of life in all the days in between and on either side.  So naturally I did want to find a place to go to a Christmas Eve Service here and luckily as Rikkyo is also known as "St. Paul's" and began as an episcopalian college it wasn't to hard.

I went to the Christmas Eve Service at the Chapel on Niiza campus, the once closer to where I am living, and got to experience something I was rather familiar with from a rather different perspective.  It was the same format, the same motions, but definitely had an interesting spin being in another language.  I will say this, some things are universal.  When singing hymnals, in English or Japanese, there tends to be a lot of mumbling in the unfamiliar verses until the chorus shows up and everyone can go back to singing "Gloria! Gloria!"  Additionally, the Lord's Prayer sounds really cool in Japanese, although I have yet to translate whether they say sins, debts, or trespasses...  

Seeing something so familiar with different eyes is always interesting.  Seeing how it localized to fit the people and language alone is fascinating.  For example, they bowed to the symbol of the Cross like any other shrine or symbol to pay respect to.  As well the word in Japanese to refer to God is Kami-sama, Kami being the word used for spirits or gods and sama being a high status indicator.  (Mount Fuji isn't Fuji-yama, or "Fuji Mountain", but Fuji-sama)  Although in truth it isn't much different in English, hearing the difference in meaning, but the similarities to other religious practices... is thought provoking.

Christmas Eve Service accounted for, the next thing on my list was Christmas Day itself, and I long ago decided I was not going to spend it in my room.  Happily though, I was invited to a small Christmas Day party with just my thoughts in mind; spending the time with good fellowship and friends.  It was a great time and with plenty of great food.  It was potluck style and since we were asked to bring something international, I brought the one of the things I had yet to have good in Japan.  Simple, mashed, potatoes.  (I mean, I've had mashed potatoes here but who puts wasabi in mashed potatoes?!! UllhhkK!) 

We laughed, had fun, and even exchanged gifts.  I had been to another Christmas Party earlier in the month and at a random gift exchange I received the gift of sweet smelling bath soap.  (The gift that keeps on giving!)  Since I figured someone else would enjoy it more than me I chose to re-gift it.  And in a fitting bout of Karma this time I received Shea hand-cream... sakura (cherry blossom) smell.  I love fate, she's has such a sense of humor.

After the party a group of us went to go see the Christmas lights in the city.  That is something, I had never really considered how much in America we dress up our buildings and houses for Christmas. Every year our houses and buildings are lit up with fanciful colors or themes and some even decide to blow their budgets on advanced musical displays and electric bills.  In Japan, there were lights, but they were simple and far between.  Which meant any collection you found was worth while.

Both campus' of Rikkyo have a pair of almost perfectly conical pine trees, and come Christmas season they are all dolled up with Christmas lights and look like two, honest to goodness, giant Christmas trees in their respective neighborhoods.  Ikebukuro is rather popular and many people from all around town will come to see these trees or get their picture taken with them.  From all over.  These lights are popular.

We went to see the illumination at Ebisu in Tokyo; which is a little south of Shibuya and I think has something to do with a beer company, I think... I'm not really sure but they had Christmas Lights and a lot of people coming to see them! Including us!

"It's Christmas Time in the City!"  And the lights are white, I'll call that close enough to a "White Christmas."

As I said before, they may seem simple to people who are used to brightly colored and overly extravagant displays, but it wasn't in their complexity in which the beauty lay, or why so many had come to see them.

This descending walkway lead down to a large encased chandelier display.  It also acted as a wind-tunnel.  Everyone you see here is very cold.

Like winter cherry trees, they blossomed white in the cold night air.  But looking around at them you couldn't help but feel the warm glow of admiration and appreciation for the beauty from everyone around you.  Smiles leaking through the cold faces.

The main centerpiece Christmas Tree. Everyone couldn't help but get pictures with it, even us!

The building complex where the lights were set up also had a 38 story building, which we could go up to see the night view of the city.  Even there we would find beautiful Christmas arrangements and people happy to experience them.

Not seen in this photo are the adorable little kids running around the tree and playing with one another.

From the top floors of this building we were able to catch a great view of the city and people below.  Looking out we were able to see everything from Tokyo Tower to Sunshine City in Ikebukuro.  Below the people continued to clamor around the white trees, arm and arm and hand in hand.

To me, these were the real lights of Christmas.  The white, yellow, and red lights glistening in Christmas night as far as the eye could see and comprehend.  Everyone finds their own parts to make their's in Christmas.  For me, this year, this moment was mine.

My Christmas Lights

So when you ask me what I did for Christmas, put simply:

I went to a wonderfully different Christmas Eve service, enjoyed a fun Christmas Day party, and spend the night looking at Christmas Lights with five beautiful women.  

I think I had myself a merry little Christmas, indeed.

Thank you Atsuko Kawahira, Tanyapan In-ochanon, Chiaki Katsura, Satomi Wada, and Megumi Komatsu (behind camera) for a fun Christmas Party and willing to have me along for enjoying the lights! ^_^

(( Pictures in this post are courtesy of Satomi Wada and her fantastic camera!  
  Thanks again! : D ))


Post Script:
I've yet to decide what I am doing for Japanese New Years, but I am sure I will think of something and find a nice Temple or Festival to visit.

For now I get to go and see an All Night Trance Show at AgeHa!  Ferry Corsten Wooo!