Christmas traditions in Japan: Christmas cake

Do people eat Christmas cake in Japan? Yes, people do eat Christmas cake in Japan. It is actually quite a popular custom. However, it is very different to Christmas cake in European countries. For one, they are not fruit cake with icing, but most often strawberry shortcake! Secondly, they are mostly store bought. Thirdly, not only is it best to book a cake in advance, you need to do it by the end of November in a lot of places! You can read more about Christmas cakes and booking them in Japan here. 

For many years, I booked our Christmas cake in advance. However, this  year at the end of November when I would normally book our cake, I still wasn't sure what we would be doing for Christmas this year, so I didn't book one. Thankfully, over the years I've learned where I can get a Christmas cake on the day without an advance booking. Plus I have a cake fairy, a dear friend, who usually drops off Christmas cake on Christmas day! 

One such place is Fujiya (they do have booking options too). On Christmas Eve I went to buy a Christmas cake at Fujiya, but on finding 30 people in line ahead of me I decided not to. I had a back up plan for where to get one on Christmas day itself and was pretty sure my cake fairy would visit (she did). However, as I went about the regular grocery shopping I came across a Yamazaki Pan Christmas cake in the fridges. The box certainly looked the part, so I bought it. 

The photo above was taken before I added the five strawberries that came with it in separate wrapping. It actually tasted really delicious. My kids think its nicer than the Fujiya Christmas cake and I have to concur. It has a mix of fruits in the layers of sponge and cream, whereas Fujiya and most other Christmas cakes we've ever had, they just have strawberries. The price was reasonable too. At 3100 yen it was 1500 yen cheaper than what I would have spend at Fujiya for a similar size cake! 

Did you get a Christmas cake this year?