Every year, around 3.6M Japanese families eat KFC for their Christmas dinner. It all started back in March 1970, where KFC made its first appearance at the World Exposition in Japan — and people loved it. 

The stand made around $100k a month, proving that KFC had serious potential in Japan. This led to a partnership between KFC and Mitsubishi Corp (MC), which would eventually change and shape how Japan does Christmas.

At first, KFC’s American headquarters wanted to do things their way — setting up shop near suburban malls. But MC seen it differently. Since most Japanese families didn’t have cars at the time, they figured downtown spots would be a way better move.

Still, KFC went with their original plan and opened their first store in November 1970 on a suburban road in Nagoya. Takeshi Okawara was the store’s first manager — he later ended up as KFC Japan’s CEO. Not long after, they set up two more spots in Osaka, both in mall parking lots, and even threw in some play areas for kids.

But there was one big problem. Nobody had a clue what KFC was. The red-and-white-striped roof and English signs left people scratching their heads. People thought it was either a chocolate shop, or a barbershop.

Business was so bad that Okawara was practically homeless, sleeping on sacks of flour in the store’s kitchen to save money. Then, one night, he had an idea in his dream. One that would later change everything. He overheard some foreign customers talking about how much they missed having turkey for Christmas. That’s when it hit him — why not sell “party barrels” of fried chicken as a Christmas meal?

His nun friend, who worked at a local school, asked if he could bring KFC to a Christmas party. Knowing his business was at stake, he went all out. Dressed up as Santa, danced with a bucket of KFC, and even made up a little jingle: “Happy Kentucky Christmas.”

The kids loved it. Word spread, and soon, another school invited him to do the same thing. That’s when Okawara realized he was onto something.

But at first, it didn’t completely turn things around. KFC Japan was still in serious trouble, nearly a $100m yen ($2.2m today) in debt by 1971. 

The real breakthrough came when they changed their location strategy to: "Let's get more eyes on our stores by setting up smaller spots inside busy downtown buildings and high-end neighborhoods." 

That April, they set up shop on Kobe’s Tor Road shopping street. Kobe was known for embracing Western culture, so KFC fit right in. Not long after, they expanded to Tokyo’s Aoyama district — a hotspot for embassies and international influence. This is where Japan’s KFC Christmas tradition was born.

Then came a lucky break. When this Christmas, Okawara once again visited a kindergarten in his Santa suit, the media took notice. When a reporter asked if eating fried chicken on Christmas was an American tradition, Okawara went along with a little white lie.

By 1973, KFC Japan had grown to 75 locations, making it the biggest fast food chain in the country.

How KFC became a Japanese Christmas tradition

In the 1970s, KFC started to be seen as a trendy and stylish place to eat. It was the kind of place you could take a date without feeling awkward about it. People loved the crispy chicken, the modern atmosphere, and the fact of eating American food.

Then came the ad campaign that shaped Japanese culture. In 1974, KFC launched its first national Christmas ad campaign with the slogan Kurisumasu ni wa Kentakkii, or "Kentucky for Christmas." The ads featured families eating crispy fried chicken while “My Old Kentucky Home” played in the background. It worked. People bought the simple, yet powerful idea: on Christmas, you eat KFC.

Japan never really had big Christmas traditions. Less than 1% of the population is Catholic. But by the 1970s, anything Western was becoming popular. The timing was perfect. Japan’s economy was booming, and people had more disposable income to spend. 

People saw Christmas in movies and TV shows, but they didn’t really know how to celebrate it themselves. That’s when KFC swooped in with their own solution.

KFC’s Christmas worked because it fit seamlessly into Japanese food-sharing culture. Party barrels made perfect sense, resembling the popular dish karaage (small pieces of deep-fried chicken). 

The romance factor was a big deal too. Christmas Eve in Japan is basically like Valentine’s Day, and dining at KFC became part of the tradition. 

The legacy

As of 2025, there are over 1,200 KFC stores across Japan. Their holiday jingle, "Nice Holiday", is even more popular than Jingle Bells.

The demand for Christmas KFC is so high that people have to place their orders weeks in advance — 40% of customers order their Christmas meals as early as November. 

Between December 23rd and 25th, KFC in Japan makes in a third of its yearly sales.

What used to be called the “party barrel” has been rebranded as the fancier-sounding “Christmas dinner package,” but the tradition remains the same.