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The process of accepting different cultures is interesting! Japan's first Christmas
Hello. I'm Hanes, an active correspondent.
The passage of time was in no time, and Christmas is approaching again this year.
The city is illuminated with illuminations, and the expressions of those who enjoy shopping seem to be fun somewhere.
Now it's a Christmas that has become completely established in Japan, but did you know that Japan's first Christmas was celebrated in Chuo-ku?
This time, I would like to take a closer look at the actual situation of Christmas!
About Japan's first Christmas, Masao Shimizu's "Hundred Story of Tsukiji Remaining in Tokyo" (Fuyuseisha, 2007) has the following description.
In December 1874 (Meiji 7), Japan's first Christmas celebration was held at Tsukiji Reservoir No. 6 by a member of the Carrosas. According to Taneaki Hara's recollection, on October 10 of the same year, Hara, who was baptized at the Tokyo First Elder Church, came up with a Christmas celebration in a sign of gratitude. Under the guidance of Carrosas, young people in Shintomiza put on lanterns and set up Christmas trees to entertain, and Hara himself also served as Santa Claus in the style of a palace wearing a kimono with a hakama. The visitors were Takaaki Kuritsu, Masanao Nakamura, Ginka Kishida, Falls, Sen Tsuda, Fulbecchi, Tamson, Davidson, Green, etc., and it seems that it was a Japanese-like Christmas. (Reference: "Masahisa Uemura and His Era 2")
Image: Shintomiza in 1900 (Source: National Diet Library "Meiji / Taisho era in Photos-From the Photo Book of the National Diet Library-", expiration of protection period)
Just reading this short sentence may have a number of highlights, such as the young people of Shintomiza helping to prepare for Christmas, and Hara serving as Santa Claus in a palace style.
As mentioned above, Japan's first Christmas had a stronger Japanese-Western eclectic element than modern times, but since it was a Christmas celebration held under the guidance of American missionary Carosas, I think it's worth noting that the Christmas tree and Santa Claus were incorporated.
However, it does not indicate what kind of food or drink was celebrated.
Wine bottles and beef bones have been excavated from remain in the Tsukiji settlement, so did Japanese people familiar with Western culture enjoy some Western cuisine?
Takaharu Nomura's "Cooking Recipe of Madam Perry's Cooking Recipe 126 at Tsukiji Reservoir" (Seifudo Bookstore, 2017), which I have referred to several times so far, is a mince meat (cow fat, apples, dried grapes, and fragrances are finely chopped. Put it in a pie, etc.) and mince pie.
Minspie is a typical confectionery that can be eaten at Christmas, and even today, it is lined up in stores during the Christmas season.
(Last year, we confirmed that a mince meat imported from U.K. was sold at the Meijiya Kyobashi store.)
It's not certain if it was eaten at the first Christmas in Japan, but it supports the possibility that minspie was made at Tsukiji Reservoir at that time.
At Christmas this year, when you are shouting to refrain from going out, you may try to make mincepies using this recipe.♪
As an aside, in 1900, in 1900, Nobuyoshi Shindo (Kaede), the first novel in Japan with Santa Claus, was published from the Kyobunkan in Ginza.
The valuable literature is published in the Digital Collection of the National Diet Library, and on page 3, Blending of Japanese and Western elements's Santaro Takuro (Kuro Santai) is depicted, and you can read novels.
How much has Santa Claus in Japan evolved from the palace style?... Please take a look at it!
And you should know how Santa Claus has been refined in the last 100 years.
During the Meiji era, how Santa Claus was explained to the general public who did not have much opportunity to come into contact with the West Christianity culture, when and how department stores started promoting Christmas, etc. I am also worried about the process of acceptance after the first Christmas.