Christmas Magic in Japan – Santa Claus Brought Joy to Japanese Hostels Once Again

In December 2025, Santa Claus once again travelled virtually from Finland to Japan, bringing joy and Christmas spirit to the everyday lives of Japanese families with children. The Finnish Hostel Association and Japan Youth Hostels (JYH) collaborated on a heartwarming charity initiative that offered children the opportunity to travel and experience togetherness in hostels across Japan.

This year’s virtual Christmas calls took place on 13 December 2025, with hostels participating in Shimonoseki, Tokyo, Osaka and Inuyama. The event was part of Japan Youth Hostels’ free invitation programme for children and families.

Santa from Lapland – minus 31.5 degrees Celsius

Santa Claus was once again portrayed by Janne Sammalkangas, host of Hostel Visatupa in Sodankylä. The calls were opened from the heart of Lapland on a snowy and extremely cold winter day, with temperatures dropping to -31.5 degrees Celsius. Lapland’s winter scenery and the biting cold sparked great amazement in Japan, as children saw the snowy surroundings and learned about the conditions in which Santa lives and works.

Santa answered the children’s questions with warmth and humour, while interpreters present in Japan ensured the conversation flowed smoothly and that all children understood the answers.

Once again, the children were eager to ask questions. Here are some highlights from this year’s discussions:

What is Santa’s favourite colour?
Red and forest green. Red stands out well in a snowy landscape, which is important for safety, as Santa travels at high speed in his sleigh.

Did you eat breakfast today?
Yes. Santa said he loves food and had breakfast consisting of rye bread baked by an elf with a thick layer of butter and blue cheese, gingerbread cookies, milk and coffee – and also a bit of leftover pizza from the day before.

How many reindeer do you have?
About 85-100 reindeer. It is difficult to give an exact number, as the reindeer are rotated regularly so they can have rest breaks.

Why do you live in such a cold place?
Santa explained that he enjoys changing seasons: cold and dark winters, warm and bright summers, and the beautiful autumn colours. Lapland is also peaceful and quiet.

What foods do you like?
Santa especially enjoys blueberries and blueberry pie. Japanese food is also delicious, but wasabi is a bit too strong for him.

At the end of the call, Santa sang the Japanese version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Akahana no Tonakai) together with the children, which crowned the shared moment and brought smiles to everyone’s faces.

Japan Youth Hostels’ mission: travel should be possible for every child

The event was built around Japan Youth Hostels’ mission to give every child the opportunity to travel. The aim is to offer children who rarely have the chance to travel an opportunity to go on a trip and experience new environments, encounters and experiences.

The virtual meeting with Santa Claus combined travel, cultural exchange and the joy of Christmas in a way that reflects the core values of hostel operations.

Hostel Visatupa – Santa’s base in Lapland

Santa’s home studio once again was Hostel Visatupa in Sodankylä, part of the Finnish Hostel Association’s hostel network. The cosy hostel provided authentic surroundings for a Lapland-style Christmas atmosphere and brought a piece of Lapland directly to Japan. At Hostel Visatupa, guests stay in cosy and clean rooms for 2-4 people or apartments for 4-6 people.

Through this initiative, Visatupa demonstrated how Finnish hostels can help create meaningful and international experiences, even virtually.

Community, responsibility and Christmas joy

This initiative strengthened the shared values of the Finnish Hostel Association, Japan Youth Hostels and the entire Hostelling International network: community, inclusivity and responsible travel. Hostels are not just places to stay – they are places where people, stories and cultures meet, even across continents.

Published on 15 December 2025