Easter is an important festival in the Christian religion. Followers believe that Jesus was crucified on Good Friday and then resurrected 2 days later - Easter Sunday. It also marks the end of Lent which is a period of prayer and fasting. The presence of Christianity in Japan is relatively low. About 1 percent of the population are of the Christian faith, and the religion has a history in Japan (predominantly in and around Nagasaki) involving a period of oppression and prohibition. The mid 16th century saw the arrival of prosperous trade with Europeans who also introduced Christianity to the island. This continued until Christianity was banned towards the end of the century beginning a time of more serious persecution including the executions of martyrs. The slow growth of Christianity in Japan started again after freedom of religion was pronounced after the Meiji restoration in 1873.

Easter celebrations around the world include religious events like reenacting the crucifixion of Jesus, to more light hearted customs like colorful easter egg hunts for children. Interestingly Easter in Japan passes by relatively unnoticed; perhaps largely interesting since the country (like most others) tends to take advantage of any holiday it can commercialize. Despite this lack of widespread celebration, if you'd still like to have an Easter egg hunt you can find Easter eggs in some stores, and some restaurants also feature special menus marking the occasion. A great example is Fujimamas who will be offering a traditional Easter ham plate, special omelets and other dishes on April 11th and 12th.

If you are looking for a more religious celebration, it can be difficult to find an English-speaking church but you may want to look here for a list of major churches in Japan.

Easter Menu available at Fujimamas

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