(http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/121127-santa-school-4a.photoblog600.jpg)Yoshikazu Tsuno / AFP - Getty Images, fileTrainees get lessons at the Santa Claus Academy in November last year.By ReutersTOKYO — Magic tricks and straight answers are all part of being Santa in Japan — at least according to Tokyo's Santa Claus Academy, which trains St. Nicks in a country with little Christmas tradition.
Follow @NBCNewsWorld (http://twitter.com/NBCNewsWorld) On a recent weekend, 88 Santa wannabes packed the school in Tokyo's fashionable Roppongi district for a crash course in how to behave as "Santa-san," as the man in red is known in Japan.
"There are many children who don't believe in Santa Claus anymore," said Masaki Azuma, head of the school. "So I said to myself, 'Let's bring Santa Claus back.'"
The morning session began with Azuma training students in the mindset of being Santa Claus, such as not to reply to anything unless addressed as "Santa-san," along with teaching them magic tricks, which Azuma recommends as a good ice-breaker for often shy tots.
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