November

Like many countries, Japan celebrates Thanksgiving each November. However, things are slightly different in the Land of the Rising Sun. Japan has a Labor Thanksgiving Day on November 23 each year rather than on the fourth Thursday of November, like it is in the United States. It’s a day to honor workers and, although it’s not an official public holiday, many take the day off and families typically commemorate with a Japanese meal in the evening. With a growing number of expats in Japan, the western-style Thanksgiving with its turkey and pumpkin pie feast has begun to take off in the country in recent years. Families will purchase food and drink from local suppliers to prepare their own meal or head to a restaurant that’s offering a special Thanksgiving menu. Kumamoto doesn’t have close to the same number of expats that you’ll find in bigger cities like Tokyo and Osaka. This means there aren’t yet many eateries serving the traditional Thanksgiving spread — but give it time! Besides, that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate in style in a local restaurant that sells Western meals. Alternatively, you can buy your own supplies to cook a meal with all the trimmings at…