Merry Christmas morning from Tokyo! đ Almost midday and Iâm just rolling out of bed, nursing my first coffee and giving it a few more minutes before I pop the mimosaâŚbecause, you know⌠itâs technically still early đ. We did a big grocery run yesterday and grabbed the fixings for Christmas dinner. It wonât be exactly like Florida, but itâs close enough to taste like home. Tiny space, no ârealâ oven, and honestly? Weâre loving it. Japan is getting me ready for my tiny house era.
This is our favorite kind of holiday: a little festive, a lot cozy, and perfectly ours, celebrating Christmas in yet another country on this wild, wonderful travel chapter.
What Christmas in Japan actually feels like
Christmas in Japan is more âsparkle and datesâ than a full-family shutdown. December 25 isnât a national holiday, so trains, malls, and restaurants mostly run as usual, while the big, everyoneâs-off period is New Year (around Dec 29âJan 3)âthatâs when locals line up for hatsumĹde, the first shrine/temple visit of the year. Youâll see couples out on Christmas Eve, lots of winter illumination displays, and that fun cultural mashup of KFC âChristmas dinnerâ and strawberry shortcake for dessert. Yes, both are a thing hereâand wildly popular.
Whatâs open today? Most big retailers, malls, and many restaurants; convenience stores are basically always open. Small, family-run spots may keep their own hours (or rest for New Year prep).
Our Christmas morning, our style
We kept it slow: lazy start, coffee first, mimosas second. Then the kitchen takeover began. Weâd stocked up at AEON(we love the prices and the options), which, if youâre new here, is one of Japanâs biggest supermarket groups with stores everywhere. Great produce, solid meat counter, and enough ready-to-eat sides that you can cheat with pride.
What we cooked (tiny kitchen, big plate)
Mac & cheese (stovetop + a quick broil to get that bubbly top)
Pan-seared steak (cast iron saves the day)
Caprese salad (thank you, supermarket tomatoes & mozzarella)
Mashed potatoes (creamy, extra butter, no regrets)
Roasted whole chicken (hello, combo microwave/convection/toaster situationâJapanâs secret weapon)
Green salad to balance all the cozy carbs
Cheesecake sampler from the grocery bakery case (festive shortcut)
Drinks: chilled Champagne for mimosas, sparkling juice for the kids, and a Baileys nightcap because⌠Christmas.
If youâre new to Japanese apartments: full-size ovens are uncommon; many homes rely on microwave/oven combos, toaster-ovens, or the stovetop fish grill. Itâs different, but 100% doable, you just get creative with smaller batches.
If you want the âJapan at Christmasâ hits
Book a KFC set (or pop in early) if you want to try the local tradition for dinner. The holiday sets sell out and popular pickup slots go fast. Pair it with strawberry shortcake from a bakery for the full experience.
Chase the lights after dark. Our favorites: Marunouchi Illumination (champagne-gold trees around Tokyo Station; lights go late in December), and Roppongi Hills / Keyakizaka for the Tokyo Tower views.
Hit a Christmas market (if youâre here before the 25th). The big one at Meiji Jingu Gaien runs through Christmas Day with mulled wine, German snacks, and live performances.
Plan for New Year: Post-Christmas, the city shifts to shrine time, hatsumĹde crowds, temple bells, and some museums/shops taking days off. Aim for parks, outdoor sights, and big-name attractions that publish special holiday hours.
Our home-cooked Tokyo Christmas (how we pulled it off)
Shop smart at AEON. We grabbed everything in one run: chicken, steak, dairy, herbs, salad greens, and yes, desserts and bubbly. AEONâs ready-made counters are clutch if you donât want to cook it all from scratch.
Cook in sequence, not chaos. Tiny counters mean you stage the menu: potatoes first (they can hold), chicken into the combo oven, mac on the stovetop, steak at the end so itâs hot-hot.
Use apartment tools. That little âtoasterâ can broil mac & cheese and crisp chicken skin. Cast iron or a heavy pan handles steak. A rice cooker can keep mashed potatoes warm in a pinch.
Keep clean-up tiny too. One cutting board out at a time, bowls reused, sink cleared after each dish. Put someone on dish duty with a bribe: first slice of cheesecake. It works every time.
A simple Christmas Day plan (if youâre visiting)
Late morning: lazy start and a coffee run.
Afternoon: pick up cake and supplies (AEON or your nearest supermarket).
Evening: cook in, clink mimosas, FaceTime the family.
Night: head out for Marunouchi lights; warm up with ramen under Tokyo Station if you get chilly.
Final little love note
Merry Christmas from our tiny Tokyo kitchen to wherever you are. I still canât believe weâre here, and Iâm so excited for the next three months, more neighborhoods to wander, more snacks to âresearch,â and more slow evenings like this one. If youâre spending the holidays in Japan, lean into the mix of cozy-at-home and city-after-dark. Itâs different, itâs delightful, and it just might become your new favorite way to do December.
