This is a series of 100 films about foods I've eaten in Japan.
And this is a film about something truly bizarre.
What happens when a fast food chain goes bust?
It just disappears.
Sure, here in the English-speaking world, the idea is completely foreign-- but not in Japan.
It happened to Wendy's while I was there.
Oh sure, they re-opened, as a luxury burger chain with two stores.
What’s more, the same fate once almost befell Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Then they came up with an idea.
Let's convince the Japanese population that Americans eat fried chicken by the bucketload on Christmas Eve.
And it worked.
So on December 24th, every Kentucky Fried Chicken in Japan is inundated with customers.
Lined up around the block. Ready to pick up their buckets of fried chicken
they ordered at least six weeks in advance.
Which is a bit strange, since Christmas Day isn't a holiday in Japan.
Yet December 23rd is. It's like a dead Emperor's birthday, or something like that.
And on this holiday all the stores are still open, and every grocery store
is stocked with giant Chicken drumsticks.
Fully cooked. And I mean giant. Like Viking-sized.
This is all very strange. But not a strange as how shocked Japanese people are when they discover
this is not how English speakers spend Christmas eve.
They can pretend to go all medieval on December 23rd. You can buy mead in Japan too.
I'm serious. These drumsticks are ginourmous.
Despite the magical appearance of Godzilla-sized chicken drumsticks once a year,
the turkey, being native to North America, is not a common food in Japan.
Check out this photo I took--
Since I didn't put the NASA crosshairs in,
you'll have to take my word for it that you're looking at one tiny turkey. It was cooked, ready to eat –
remember, they don't have ovens in Japan-- and it only cost $160 dollars.
So don't expect your wallet to stay heavy if you want the full Butterball experience.
That’s right, you guessed it.
The KFC that alerted me to all this is at the south exit of Shinjuku station in Tokyo.
Shinjuku station is the busiest train station in the world.
When you exit, turn right, cross the big intersection at the bottom of the hill.
It’s just to your right, across from the underground entrance to Shinjuku Keio line station.
As always, keep in mind this information may be out of date by the time you watch this.
It means "really" in Japanese.
Just like in English, when you say it with an upturned accent it has the same effect as "you're not serious!".
So if you want to remember this word, feel free to watch this video ten more times
and repeat along with me. Or at least that's what I'd do.
So that's it until next time, when we look at the dessert that will make you fat,
despite Japan's reputation for healthy food.
So until then, sayonara.