Number 8: Christmas Cake!

In England Christmas cake is a fruit cake with marzipan and icing. If you go to a shop and ask "Where is the Christmas cake?" you will be shown something along those lines.

In Japan however there is no "Christmas Cake." There is only Cake for Christmas.

At this time of year Japanese stores and bakeries produce some beautifully designed cakes. Many feature strawberry's. However, they are all different ranging from Sponge cake to Ice-cream cake.

My father in law ordered this delicious looking cake for us. It's chocolate sponge and ice-cream with a roll-cake added for good measure.

It was delicious, though there wasn't enough sponge or ice-cream....or cake. It was a bit small. But none the less we shared it and enjoyed every moment.

The iced characters and mushrooms were a little too sweet for this Japanese family. So I had the pleasure of eating them all.

I left Santa and the snowman until last because eating it seemed like a waste. It looked so good. Fortunately it tasted even better.

You might realize that this post was made before Christmas Day. Well done you.

Christmas is very different in Japan. For English people Christmas is a time to get together with family and exchange presents. Of course it has some religious significance too, but not being religious I am in it mostly for the family and presents.

...mostly the presents.

Like most families we all get together and have a great time until someone says something stupid and it all ends in blood and baubles.

This year though, my family are all back in England while I am in Tokyo with my wife and her family.

Christmas in Japan is more about romance and partners. Lovers like to spend the day together and exchange gifts. Maybe visit a restaurant or see the illuminations. It is a quiet time for husbands, wifes, boyfriends, girlfriends to spend the day together (or in some cases half a day with one, then half a day with the other).

To be honest I prefer English Christmas. But there is one thing I like more about Japanese Christmas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJAyVZ8HiwE