What comes to mind when you hear “Christmas”?
A big tree, presents, a table laden with food, Santa Claus…
“Father Christmas” is a specialty Christmas shop in the Bikan Historical Area.
The shop’s name means Santa Claus in Britain, and amazingly, it sells Christmas goods all year round.
Christmas is said to be the time of year when we feel the kindest.
At Father Christmas, a shop filled with heartwarming pieces of happiness, I felt love and prayer.
The information presented here was current when this article was published in December 2018. Please note that it may differ from current information.
A maze-like shop!? Around 2,000 Christmas goods—the largest selection in western Japan
Let’s head inside. Be careful not to bump your backpack, bag, or other belongings into anything!
Around 2,000 Christmas goods line the shop. It really is like a maze!
Father Christmas boasts the largest selection of Christmas goods in western Japan. Customers come from Kansai and Kyushu, too.
There are an incredible number of ornaments (decorations for Christmas trees). Ornaments apparently sell especially well through November.
Eighty percent of the Christmas goods in the shop are imported directly from Europe and the United States.
Some are one-of-a-kind items that can only be found at Father Christmas.
These are glass ornaments made by Inge-Glas, a company based in Germany.
Inge-Glas has been making ornaments since the 1860s. Even today, each one is handmade by an artisan.
Known as the “jewels of Christmas” for their beautiful sheen, these are eagerly awaited by many fans every year.
Be sure to notice the Christmas trees throughout the shop, too! Each one has its own theme.
The theme of this tree is, quite simply, “circus.” It is decorated to mark the arrival of Kinoshita Circus in Okayama Prefecture in 2018.
A circus tent ornament. Just looking at it is fun!
The theme of this large tree is “pink.” According to owner Katsumi Goda,
“In recent years, pink trees have been a trend in Europe, so we decided to bring that trend into the shop, too.”
That’s what he said. Trees have trends, too! Europe really is the home of Christmas.
The top of the pink tree features the Angel Gabriel.
The Angel Gabriel is said to be “the angel who told the Virgin Mary that Jesus Christ would be born.”
In Europe, the angel is often placed at the top of the tree alongside the Star of Bethlehem.
And be sure to look at the back of this tree, too. Let’s step outside the shop for a moment.
The “Thank You Tree,” filled with gratitude
A large Christmas tree by the window can also be viewed from outside.
Its theme changes every year. In 2017, it was Beauty and the Beast.
“This is a tree I really want people to see.”
The owner was quick to recommend this tree. Looking closely, it seems to be more than just decoration.
The 2018 theme is “gratitude—thank you.” It is aptly named the Thank You Tree.
In the summer of 2018, Okayama Prefecture—particularly Mabi, Kurashiki City—suffered unprecedented flooding in the Heavy Rain Event of July 2018.
At that time, the support and help of volunteers and members of the Self-Defense Forces from across Japan meant so much.
This Thank You Tree brought back memories of the gratitude and emotion felt at that time.
Photos show volunteers working tirelessly in the intense summer heat.
Their efforts gave kindness and courage to Okayama, Hiroshima, Ehime, and the many other disaster-stricken areas.
“I do not forget you”—we will not forget you.
This ornament carries the message: we will not forget the efforts of the volunteers and Self-Defense Forces personnel. Thank you.
So that we never forget how we are supported by so many people…
And, to everyone who has shown such kindness, thank you so very much. Merry Christmas!!
These words accompanied the Thank You Tree.
This beautiful tree, filled with so much gratitude that words cannot express it all, is a must-see.
Snow globes perfect for gifts. Why do they stay clear forever?
The “snow globe” is one of Father Christmas’s signature products.
Collectors travel from all over western Japan to find snow globes.
The snow globes sold at Father Christmas are mainly made by PERZY, a company in Austria.
Founded in 1900, PERZY is the world’s oldest snow globe manufacturer.
There are so many kinds of snow globes, with different sizes, prices, and miniatures inside!
I hear that many people buy them as gifts in December.
The snow globe with the Christmas tree in the center is actually the one that appears at the beginning of Keisuke Kuwata’s “Shiroi Koibitotachi” music video!
It’s easy to see why its clarity makes you want to use it.
With ordinary snow globes, the water inside gets cloudy over time, but those made by Perzy stay clear forever.
Apparently, that’s because the liquid inside is made using only natural Alpine spring water!
The fine snow and the length of time it stays suspended are also hallmarks of Perzy, and part of the reason it has so many collectors.
The way the snow drifts down so softly is beautiful enough to watch forever.
These snow globes have been handmade from the company’s founding to the present day. Perhaps part of their appeal is that no two are alike.
You can also make your own snow globe at Father Christmas.
You can create a snow globe to suit your taste. It’s also a great souvenir.
Nutcrackers and presepi: a collection of rare treasures
Father Christmas has many one-of-a-kind items on display.
The owner told us about a few of their favorite pieces.
Can you guess which one it is?
The answer is the tallest nutcracker in the center. It was made in West Germany.
This historically valuable doll was made sometime between 1949 and 1990, when Germany was divided into East and West.
“When I look at this doll, I feel the preciousness of peace and a sense of what it symbolizes.”
The owner’s words reminded us once again that Germany, too, has a difficult history.
This is an Italian “presepio.”
It is a model depicting the birth of Jesus Christ, and apparently in Italy it is more common to display a presepio than a Christmas tree.
They are usually made of pottery or glass, but we also saw a rare wooden presepio.
It was my first time seeing one, and each figure has its own expression. I was so absorbed in looking at them that I lost track of time.
Kurashiki and Christmas share a wonderful connection
Still, doesn’t it seem strange to find a Christmas shop in the Bikan Historical Area?
When we asked the owner, this was the answer we got.
“Originally, Kurashiki Glass workshops made Christmas glass balls. They exported them to America. I think Kurashiki has a connection with Christmas.”
Shinzo Kotani, who created Kurashiki Glass, apparently started out making glass Christmas ornaments.
It’s wonderful to think that Kurashiki Glass came about after much trial and error in the workshop. It really does feel like fate.
Also, take a look at the Santa Claus in a cape standing on the tiered display.
This is an antique ceramic piece, apparently made in Nagoya.
It’s amazing to think that Japan made such lovely products for export, too…
The meaning behind the slogan “Christmas all year round”
Father Christmas’s slogan is Christmas all year round.
A shop where you can buy Christmas goods and enjoy Christmas all year round. That was the impression I had of Father Christmas before visiting.
But the owner’s story revealed a deeper meaning.
“In Europe, there’s a custom of setting an extra place at the Christmas dinner table for someone who is poor.”
the owner told us.
The owner opened the shop hoping to share the compassion, kindness, and warmth at the heart of Christmas, and went on to say:
“Christmas isn’t meant to be a one-off event. It’s the love of a family, passed down continuously through every day.”
“For example, some customers come in saying, ‘I want to give a Santa Claus doll as a wedding gift.’ I think Christmas isn’t so foreign to Japanese people, who have that kind of sensibility—cherishing things and passing them down through generations.”
“Each ornament holds memories of someone who has passed away. This one belonged to Grandma, this one to so-and-so…”
For people in Europe, Christmas is a time to wish for their family’s happiness and remember those who came before, by carefully passing down each item.
“Along with the things, we pass down love, too.”
In 2018, the year Father Christmas marked its 24th anniversary, a major disaster struck Kurashiki.
“First, we need to keep going and get people to visit the Bikan Historical Area. I think that’s where it starts. It’s physically exhausting, but above all, I want to keep going.”
I felt that the owner’s love of Christmas would surely help with the recovery.
Christmas love that lasts all year, not just for a moment. Perhaps that is the hope behind Christmas all year round.
Discover a Christmas to treasure at Father Christmas
I’ve loved Christmas since I was a child. I was the kind of kid who got so excited that I put up the tree in October.
As I listened to the owner talk at the shop, I felt as though I’d learned about a deeper, broader Christmas.
Putting up the tree, preparing the dinner table, celebrating with family.
Each thing has its own meaning, with prayers and wishes woven into it.
When I asked where would be a good place to experience Christmas as it is celebrated in its homeland, the owner replied:
“If you want to experience a traditional Christmas, Germany is a good choice. Neudenburg in particular is famous. But it really is cold—you’ll need to be prepared, especially if you’re a woman. And the illuminations in New York are incredibly extravagant! I think you’ll be amazed by the sheer scale.”
the owner said enthusiastically.
“Christmas is family love.”
After all the sad and terrible things that happened in 2018, I want everyone to celebrate Christmas together.
And may everyone—those affected by the disaster, volunteers, and members of the Self-Defense Forces—have a happy, warm Christmas.
Father Christmas, filled with thoughts like a prayer.
You’re sure to discover a truly special Christmas here. Have a wonderful Christmas.
Father Christmas — Information
| Name | Father Christmas |
|---|---|
| Address | 4-11 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-434-4668 |
| Parking | None |
| Hours | 10:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (Open until 7:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays only) |
| Closed | Monday When Monday is a public holiday, closed the following Tuesday. |
| Payment methods |
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| Website | Everyday is Christmas day |
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