FROM YEAR-END TO NEW YEAR IN JAPAN Bonjour. We are in first grade at Kobe Kaisei Girls’ high school. We will introduce our way of living from December to New Year and traditional event in Japan. This time we will tell you about Japanese Christmas.

Most of Japanese are not Christians but people celebrate Christmas. On Christmas eve we usually have special Christmas dinner such as grilled beef, chiken, soup, salad, fruits and, of course, for dessert Christmas cake. Children are looking forward to Santa Claus coming with nice Christmas presents.

In early December in Kobe we have the event called “Luminarie”, a light festival. This event started in 1995 in order to commemorate those who lost their lives at the “Great Hanshin Awaji earthquake”, a big earthquake hit Kobe in 1995.1.17.

To light up and cheer up the City of Kobe and people hurt by the earthquake, and also not to forget this disaster, many arcades with light bulbs of various colors are set up along streets and they allow pedestrians to fill the streets and enjoy the fantastic light tunnel.

Kobe Luminarie is carried on by contributions from companies and donations from those who have come to Luminarie .