While Japan might not have a strong belief in saints or Christianity, customs like Valentine’s Day and Christmas have become commonly observed in the country. They were promoted by Japanese stores to capitalize on the growing public interest in all things Western during the 70’s and the 80’s, which also explains why Japan’s celebration of these holidays is much more commercialized.

Japan’s version of Christmas, in particular, is centered around food. One example you might have already heard of is the distinctly Japanese fondness for eating KFC during Christmas, while another example is the Japanese Christmas cake. Typically, these cakes are round with white icing and strawberry toppings, but more recent versions come in various shapes and colors.

One unique example of the modern Japanese Christmas cake is Odakyu Department Store’s Romancecar Christmas cake. The Romancecar is one of Japan’s most recognizable train lines; it is a popular luxury tourist liner and can be seen from far away due to its bright red color.

The Romancecar cake recreates this signature look with edible train walls made out of bright red and black cookies. Inside the “train” sits a layered strawberry and whipped cream sponge cake, and in front is a figure of Santa Claus and his friend. The cake is also topped with yellow macarons and Christmas-themed items for decoration.

The Romancecar cake retails for 5,400 yen, but due to the limited amount of cakes being sold, they unfortunately quickly sold out with Odakyu having no plans of restocking soon. However, you can still view their online store for more examples of how Japan makes Christmas cakes.


By - Jen Laforteza.