Image 4/8 for "History of Christmas in Japan"

Christmas was first introduced to Japan before the Meiji Restoration in 1552 by missionaries. But during the Edo period, the Baukufu suppressed all forms of Christianity so Christmas didn't get off the ground at all.

It wasn't until the Meiji period in 1900 when Christmas was reintroduced to Japan. The food store Meiji-ya opened a store in Ginza and since then the Christmas monetization wars began. Christmas is more of a business event rather than a religious one over here.