Children’s Day on May 5 is the final public holiday that make up Japan’s Golden Week. Usually, the celebration is marked by setting up colourful koinobori (carp streamers) outdoors, but KFC Japan is honouring the national holiday a little differently – by dressing its Colonel Sanders statues in handmade armour. This annual tradition has been going on since 1984 and the employees at each store come up with their own design, making them from scratch using paper craft.
2024 also marks the 40th anniversary of this special KFC tradition. In celebration, 892 KFC outlets in Japan will each doll up a Samurai Sanders this year – the most outlets ever to participate in this annual tradition. Judging from what we saw in previous years, the designs will be impressive.
The KFC Samurai Sanders are on display only until May 6. If you happen to spot one and post a photo on X (Twitter) between May 1 and May 5, you'll be eligible to win one of 40 KFC gift cards worth ¥4,000. Just make sure you're also following the official KFC Japan account.
A total of 128 KFC outlets in Tokyo are participating this year. They includes the stores in Ebisu Ekimae, Shinjuku West Exit, Takadanobaba, Omotesando/Kita-Aoyama, Ikebukuro West Exit, Nakano Ekimae, Kichijoji South Exit and Ginza INZ.
For more information, visit the website.
This article was published on April 28 2021 and updated on May 1 2024.
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