KFC began Japan’s modern Christmas fried-chicken tradition with a campaign launched in 1974.
The campaign was marketed as “Kentucky for Christmas” and helped establish a custom of ordering KFC meals for Christmas celebrations in Japan. Fried chicken became a practical alternative to turkey, which was not a traditional Japanese Christmas centerpiece.
The custom grew through advertising, seasonal meal packages and advance reservations. It is especially associated with Christmas Eve, when customers may collect preordered buckets and combination meals.
The tradition is often described as an ancient Japanese custom, but that is misleading. It is a modern commercial tradition created through KFC Japan’s marketing and later reinforced by popular culture and family practice.