You will often hear Santa in Japan being referred to as a フィンランドのサンタ i.e. Finnish or Finland Santa. This is what we call a Lapland Santa at home. Basically, in Japan this is code for a non-Japanese Santa that is usually a native or 2nd language English speaker. There has been a big increase in the number of “real” Santa in Japan in the last few years.
The Kasai branch of Ito-Yokado have a Finnish / Lapland Santa visiting 3 times on the 18th of December. The sessions are at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm. There will be an opportunity for a quick chat and photo with Santa on the 1st floor mall stage.
Event URL: http://blog.itoyokado.co.jp/shop/195/event.html
Access
Address: 9 Chome-3-3 Higashikasai, Edogawa-ku, Tōkyō-to 134-0084
Tel: 03-5675-1011
Hours: 10 am to 9 pm
Parking for 1850 cars
Nearest station is Kasai Station on the Tozai line. Kasai Rinkai Station on the Keiyo Line is also close although its at least a 30 minute walk.
A couple of years ago, I was on the same flight from Helsinki to Osaka with the real Finnish Santa 🙂 The Japanese passengers were over the moon and the Santa had to endure the pretty much 10 hours (i.e. the duration of the flight) of non-stop photo taking. Hilarious!
Wow, what a rare and lucky occurrence. Poor Santa in a way, but I guess it goes with the job! Did you ask for a photo yourself?
Thanks for commenting. 🙂
No, I didn’t ask for a photo. As a Finn, I have albums full of photos of me with Santa as a child, so there was no need to get one as an adult 🙂 Having said that, my dad, who was on the same flight, did go and have his photo taken 😀 😀
Haha! I think I’d ask, but only if he was near and looked friendly! I wish my kids could have Santa visits like I had as a child, but the Santa we go to in Tochigi is good enough and they still feel the magic. 🙂