Easter is one of those holidays that many of us will have grown up with our whole lives.
The majority of people who live in the West have probably grown up with Easter being an important time of year.
In many ways, it’s ingrained in most of us from a young age. However, considering the (now) religious meaning behind Easter, have you stopped to wonder if other countries celebrate it?
Planning on visiting Japan in the spring? You may be wondering if they celebrate Easter, too! Knowing what to expect around Easter time can be a comfort, and that’s why we’re here.
It can be an incredibly confusing experience if you aren’t savvy with the culture of a country, so we will be going through everything you need to know about Easter in Japan. You might be surprised by what we have to say!
Does Japan Celebrate Easter?
Before we get into Easter in Japan, we should probably do a little digging around what Easter actually is.
Like most religious holidays (including Christmas), Easter actually has roots in paganism.
That’s not to say that the belief behind it all is a total farce, but the holiday was chosen by the Christian community because of Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of fertility and spring.
When Christianity came around, Easter was turned from a pagan festival to a Christian one.
This was done to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus. This is important because anyone who knows anything about Japan will know that it is not a Christian country.
In fact, the two main religions of Japan are Shintoism and Buddhism (see also ‘Do The Japanese Practice Buddhism? – Japanese Religions Explained‘).
Christmas Eve is a lot like Valentine’s Day in Japan, and couples spend quality time together.
On Christmas day, it’s all about being with family and friends.
Valentine’s Day is the day when girls give friends and the boy she likes chocolate! White Day is a Japanese celebration where the boy gives the girl chocolate.
As such, you might be wondering if there is any space left to celebrate a very Christian holiday.
Japan is known for taking on the holidays from the rest of the world and putting their own special twist on it.
They celebrate Christmas, Halloween and Valentine’s Day! However, there are some key differences in the way that Japan celebrates these holidays.
They are commercial and consumerist, rather than having religious meaning for the majority.
The Christian population in Japan is small. This means that there will, of course, be people who celebrate it.
These people are the minority, though. In many places in the West, the number of people celebrating Easter would be the majority.
So, does Japan celebrate Easter? Yes! Only recently, they started celebrating Easter, though.
It’s taken years for them to get on board with the idea and a few billion-dollar profits from it. Now, however, Easter in Japan is unstoppable.
Easter In Japan
So, Japan does celebrate Easter, but not in a religious or “meaningful” way that many in the West would.
The idea that Jesus died and rose again for us has no meaning in Japan, unless we’re referring to the tiny Christian population in the country.
As such, when Easter comes around, there is a lot of color, fun, and cherry blossoms, but no Easter church service.
Easter is, for the most part, a pretty new concept in Japan. Because of this, we don’t know what new and tantalizing traditions will come from their celebrations.
They already enjoy a KFC dinner for Christmas, so who knows what new meals will become popular for Easter in Japan!
We can only wait and see what happens, and enjoy it when it does!
What You Might Expect If You Visit Japan During Easter
If you visit Japan around Easter time, you probably won’t know what to expect.
Depending on where you’re going, there might be special events planned!
These events are primarily for the tourist population, since spring is the most popular time to visit Japan.
By holding special celebrations for popular tourist times, you can bet they make a lot of money.
They often mix a lot of festivities with events to make the most out of the short window of time.
Chances are, you will have a fun-filled time with egg hunts, plenty of chocolate, and even lambs.
That’s right – lambs! Some events have baby sheep that you can take pictures with.
Picnics are probably also popular, because who doesn’t want to be outside in the sunshine?
There might even be some special music for everyone to enjoy. In recent years, some J-Pop stars have even started producing Easter-themed music, so there’s no telling where things will go in the future!
There are a few things that you might want to try if you’re visiting Japan during the Easter period.
You have to try their mochi (see also ‘How To Make Mochi Ice Cream ‘) – a traditional dessert that’s made from sticky rice.
Knowing Japan, their mochi will be super cute and Easter-themed for tourists and locals to enjoy alike.
Meika Hiyoko is another must-try if you’re in Japan during Easter. This is an adorable Easter-themed dessert.
There’s nothing more fitting, since this dessert is shaped like a chick! If you really want to get the best of this stuff, though, you will need to take a trip to Fukuoka.
It’s hard to believe that the world didn’t have this kawaii dessert before 1912…
Fun Things To Do During Easter In Japan
Since Easter is still figuring itself out in Japan, there are no real set rules to follow at this time of year.
You could paint Easter eggs like many do in the West, or you can make colorful and cute onigiri to enjoy!
In the country famous for its fashion and dressing up, there will probably be plenty of opportunities to get dressed up, too.
After all, you don’t need to be going to Easter service to get that new outfit and turn yourself into whatever you want.
The lack of rules means that there’s a lot of freedom. You can make your own traditions, and you don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to, either!
Final Thoughts
Japan is famous for putting their own spin on all the holidays they adopt into their culture.
You have Christmas KFC, and chocolate has a place in all celebrations, so what will Easter turn into?
There’s plenty of time for new traditions to take root and for Easter to become a new and exciting holiday in Japan.
If you want to visit Japan around Easter time, be sure to keep an open mind and try everything new that they have to offer – there should be plenty to experience!
I hope that, by exploring this website, you all will develop a much deeper appreciation for Japan, and that it may even influence you to pay it a visit yourself eventually! It is definitely a trip of a lifetime, and whether you experience it firsthand, or through my own website, I’m sure you will become just as passionate as I always have been!
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