世論 What Japan Thinks

Despite being a nominally Buddhist and/or Shinto nation, Japan has warmly embraced the Western secular spending spree festival we call Xmas, as well as retaining its traditional New Year shrine and/or temple visiting superstition.

MyVoice conducted a web-based opinion poll of 15,572 members of its internet community at the start of this year to see how they spent the 2004-2005 holiday season. The survey participants were 46% male, and over a third in their thirties.

Q1: How did you spend the New Year? (Multiple answer)

Spent with family	79%
Hatsumode (visit to temple)	40%
Gathered with relatives	25%
New Year greetings	23%
Went back to family home	21%
Ate out	17%
New Year sales	17%
Bought a lucky bag	13%
Went to film, theatre, concert, theme park, etc	6%
Went to play at friend’s house	6%
Domestic travel	5%
Overseas travel	1%
Other	7%
No answer	0.03%

Note that the 40% is low according to other polls, but Hatsumode does not officially finish until the 7th of January, after the end of the polling dates, and unofficially people will continue to perform what they consider to be Hatsumode until perhaps the end of January.

Q2: What activities connected with New Year have you carried out or plan to carry out? (Multiple answer)

Send New Year postcards	72%
Toshikoshi soba	61%
“Spring” cleaning	54%
Ozouni meal	51%
Otoshidama	50%
Osechi meal	43%
Kagami mochi	37%
Hanging New Year decorations	37%
Festive chopsticks	20%
Juubako	12%
New Year flower arrangement	12%
Otoso	11%
Nanakusa	7%
Making mochi	6%
New Year play (?)	3%
New Year resolutions	2%
Other	3%
Nothing special	8%
No answer	0.1%

Q3: About how much in total did you spend (and plan to spend) on New Year-related purchases?

Less than 3,000 yen	9%
3,000 to 4,000 yen	3%
4,000 to 5,000 yen	5%
5,000 to 7,000 yen	4%
7,000 to 10,000 yen	8%
10,000 to 15,000 yen	12%
15,000 to 20,000 yen	10%
20,000 to 30,000 yen	14%
30,000 to 50,000 yen	14%
Over 50,000 yen	14%
Didn’t use any money	7%

Q4: How did you spend last year’s (2004) Christmas? (Multiple answer)

Home party with family	48%
Home party with people other than family	8%
Went to see Christmas illuminations	7%
Went to party at restaurant with people other than family	5%
Went to Christmas event or leisure facility	4%
Went to party at restaurant with family	2%
Went on trip	2%
Other	5%
No different than any other day	31%
No answer	31%

For some reason, Christmas gets celebrated on the 24th of December, and the tradition for families is Kentucky Fried Chicken and strawberry shortcake, and for couples it’s a romantic date, usually ending in overnighting in a hotel somewhere.

Q5: What activities connected with Christmas did you carry out last year? (Multiple answer)

Bought a Christmas cake	45%
Sent Christmas presents	41%
Hung up decorations	32%
Bought in champagne, wine, etc	28%
Bought Christmas foods	22%
Made Christmas foods	19%
Made Christmas cake	11%
Ate out	10%
Hung up lights inside house	4%
Used Christmas catering services	3%
Other	2%
Nothing in particular	24%
No answer	0.2%

Q6: About how much in total did you spend on Christmas-related purchases?

Less than 3,000 yen	13%
3,000 to 4,000 yen	7%
4,000 to 5,000 yen	10%
5,000 to 7,000 yen	11%
7,000 to 10,000 yen	13%
10,000 to 15,000 yen	16%
15,000 to 20,000 yen	10%
20,000 to 30,000 yen	9%
30,000 to 50,000 yen	5%
Over 50,000 yen	3%
Didn’t use any money	3%
No answer	0.4%