A Japanese Christmas Tale
*A Completely True* Story of How a Kentucky-Born Chicken Salesman Became Japan's Christmas Icon
The Origin Story Nobody Asked For
It's 1974 in Japan. Turkey is as rare as a quiet Tokyo subway car, and Japanese families are desperately seeking something—anything—to make their Christmas feel more... Western. Enter one Takeshi Okawara, a Kentucky Fried Chicken store manager in Japan who would later become CEO, probably because of what happened next.
"What if we convinced an entire nation that Americans eat fried chicken for Christmas?"
Legend has it that Okawara-san overheard some foreigners complaining about the lack of turkey in Japan. Instead of suggesting they try one of Japan's countless amazing local dishes, he thought, "What if we convinced an entire nation that Americans eat fried chicken for Christmas?" And thus began one of the greatest marketing coups in history.
FAQ
Everything You Never Needed to Know About Colonel Santa
Q: Wait, so Japanese people actually line up for hours to get KFC on Christmas?
A: Oh, you sweet summer child. First, they don't line up on Christmas–they do it on Christmas Eve! Everybody knows that as soon as it turns December 25, the New Year's sales will go into OVERDRIVE.
Second, they don't just line up—most sensible people reserve their Christmas chicken weeks in advance.
Imagine explaining to your grandmother that you're pre-ordering fast food for Jesus's birthday.
Q: But why Colonel Sanders as Santa?
A: Think about it: an elderly gentleman with a white beard and a signature white suit. He was basically Santa's southern cousin already. Plus, both are beloved figures who specialize in making people happy through excessive consumption.
Dopamine baby!
Q: Is it true that convenience stores also sell Christmas chicken?
A: Puleeeze young Padawan! Of course they do! Nothing says "Silent Night" like Family Mart chicken. Convenience stores and other fast food shops jumped on the bandwagon faster than you can say "Kentucky Kurisumasu."
The Great Colonel Transformation
Every December, thousands of Colonel Sanders statues across Japan undergo their annual metamorphosis into Santa Claus. Picture an army of elderly Southern gentlemen simultaneously donning red suits and preparing to spread Christmas cheer, one bucket of extra crispy at a time.
The transformation is so complete that some young children in Japan reportedly believe that Santa Claus was a chicken farmer who decided to diversify into toy delivery. This is, of course, completely untrue—everyone knows he was a colonel, not a farmer.
You can still hear the Colonel's ghost whispering, "Should've gone with the extra crispy..."
The Curse of the Colonel
A Christmas Carol Gone Wrong
No discussion of Colonel Sanders in Japan would be complete without mentioning the infamous "Curse of the Colonel." In 1985, celebrating Hanshin Tigers fans threw a Colonel statue into Osaka's Dōtonbori River. The team went on to experience a humiliating losing streak - many attributing the Colonel.
Some say on quiet Christmas Eves, you can still hear the Colonel's ghost whispering, "Should've gone with the extra crispy..." Alas, the statue was eventually recovered in 2009, looking less than finger-lickin' good after 24 years underwater. He now serves as a cautionary tale: never mess with a man who has mastered both secret spices AND Christmas magic.
"You see, there's this American chicken restaurant, and their mascot dresses as Santa, and everyone eats their chicken on Christmas Eve because...well... a guy in the '70s said so."
A Sign of The Season
Today, the sight of a Santa-suited Colonel Sanders outside KFC is as much a sign of Christmas in Japan as Kentucky Fried Chicken is a traditional American Christmas dinner (spoiler alert: it's not). Yet somehow, this brilliant bit of marketing has become so ingrained in Japanese culture that explaining it to outsiders sounds like a fever dream.
"You see, there's this American chicken restaurant, and their mascot dresses as Santa, and everyone eats their chicken on Christmas Eve because...well... a guy in the '70s said so."
A-fib for Kuristmasu!
So there you have it—the story of how a fast-food chain convinced an entire nation that nothing says “Merry Christmas” like a bucket of fried chicken served by a Kentucky colonel dressed as Santa. It’s proof yet again that you can sell almost anything in Japan—so long as it becomes something unmistakably its own
And remember, as the traditional Japanese Christmas Eve blessing goes: "May your chicken be crispy and your wait times be short."
*Disclaimer: Some historical facts may have been breaded and deep-fried for entertainment purposes.
What else is going on in Nagoya?
Nagoya Buzz publishes weekly guides to events, exhibitions, food, and the small local things that make living here easier (and occasionally stranger).
If you found this useful, our Events page collects what’s happening around the city right now.
→ See upcoming events in Nagoya
Doug Breté
something to do?
Skip the algorithm
Search Nagoya Buzz
Leave a Comment