Christmas in Fukutsu

Our small little city doesn't have a wealth of Christmas decorations... it is Japan, after all... but Sandy and I did a drive around the other night to check out the lights folks had put up. It's far less ubiquitous and expected here in Japan, so it makes it, kind of... much more impressive and significant when people go to the trouble put up lights and decorations.



Hello Kitty Christmas decorations.
Thank God for Japan, or we'd have never had these.



Our city is fairly small [pop. about 56,000] but the park is still decked out with a pretty nifty Xmas display.




"Look Kringle, I want good stuff this year!"



C'mon, how cute is she? She even did "big eyes."



Chillin'.



Santa climbing up the side of somebody's house.
Not the most flattering angle for a picture, I'll admit.



The Christmas tree in front of the city's train station.



Weren't sure if these next three were somebody's house or an inn or a restaurant, but they went to town on the lights...





It's important to make sure the outside of all the gambling establishments and pachinko parlours are decked out for the birth of the baby Jesus.
Apologies for the "taken from a moving car" picture.



This house was pretty impressive with the lights.



This is actually in our apartment complex.
We have let down America and let the Japanese out-decorate us.
It's just they're so much better organized than us. They are like robot-machines! From the future!
No... okay... Sandy and I just can't be bothered. But we appreciate those that do decorate.
Many more Christmas-y light photos at this link.