New Year Festival (正月 Shōgatsu), is one of the most important annual festivals, with its own unique customs, and has been celebrated for centuries. Due to the importance of the holiday and the preparations required, the preceding days are quite busy, particularly the day before, known as Ōmisoka.
Although Shogatsu means January, it is celebrated for the first 3 days or the first week of January. These days are considered the most important holidays for the Japanese. One could equate it with the celebration of Christmas in the west. During this time business and schools close for one to two weeks. It is also a time for people to return to their families which leads to the inevitable backlog of travelers. The Japanese decorate their houses, but before the decorations start to be put up a general house cleaning is done.
On New Year's eve (December 31), bells (joya no kane) are rung at the local temples to speed out the old year. Buddhist temples all over Japan ring their bells a total of 108 times to symbolize the 108 human sins in Buddhist belief, and to get rid of the 108 worldly desires regarding sense and feeling in every Japanese citizen. A major attraction is The Watched Night bell, in Tokyo. Japanese believe that the ringing of bells can rid off their sins during the previous year.
The New Year is welcomed in by placing decoration called kadomatsu and eating of year-crossing noodles (toshikoshi-soba) and special selection of dishes (osechi-ryōri). Casual western style clothing is replaced with kimono on New Years day as people go for their first temple or shrine visit of the New Year (hatsumoude). At the temples they pray for health and happiness in the coming year. The reading New Year's cards (nengajou) and the giving of gifts (otoshidama) to young children are also apart of the New Year celebrations.
The first day of Shogatsu (January 1st) is a very auspicious day, best started by viewing the new year's first sunrise (hatsu-hinode), and traditionally believed to be representative for the whole year that has just commenced. Therefore, the day is supposed be full of joy and free of stress and anger, while everything should be clean and no work should be done.
Kadomatsu (門松 ,Gate Pine)
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| Kadomatsu |
Kadomatsu is a traditional Japanese decoration of the New Year placed in pairs in front of homes to welcome ancestral spirits or kami of the harvest. They are placed after Christmas until January 7 (or January 15 during the Edo period) and are considered temporary housing (shintai) for kami. Designs for kadomatsu vary depending on region but are typically made of pine, bamboo, and sometimes ume tree sprigs which represent longevity, prosperity and steadfastness, respectively. "The fundamental function of the New Year ceremonies is to honor and receive the toshigami (deity), who will then bring a bountiful harvest for farmers and bestow the ancestors' blessing on everyone." After January 15 (or in many instances the 19th) the kadomatsu is burned to appease the kami or toshigami and release them.
The central portion of the kadomatsu is formed from three large bamboo shoots, though plastic kadomatsu are available. Similar to several traditions of ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement), the shoots are set at different heights and represent heaven, humanity, and earth with heaven being the highest and earth being the lowest. Some kadomatsu place the humanity and earth shoots at the same height. After binding all the elements of the kadomatsu, it is bound with a straw mat and newly woven straw rope. Kadomatsu are placed in pairs on either side of the gate, representing male and female.
Toshikoshi-soba (年越し蕎麦 ,New Year Soba)
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| Toshikoshi-soba |
Toshikoshi-soba, is a soba noodle dish traditionally eaten on New Year's Eve. Toshikoshi means "year-crossing" and the long noodles symbolize longevity. It is often served along with nishime, a traditional New Year's nimono (simmered dish) of vegetables and chicken. The funny-shaped vegetable on top is kuwai (arrowhead, a marsh plant similar to water chesnut).
Why do people in Japan eat soba at the end of year based on their unique customary thoughts from the ancient times that they cannot finish up the old year without eating soba. There are some reasons why they choose soba and not any other kind of food:
- It is thought that soba is a bringer of good luck, family fortunes, and longevity because soba is physically long.
- On the contrary, since soba is easy to bite, it is also considered to forget and sever any carryover of hardship and disaster that may have happened during the year.
- The third opinion is believed that soba collects fortunes; During the Edo period , a gold and silver craftsmen used balls made of kneaded buckwheat (soba) to collect splattered gold and silver pieces in the working area, and burned the ball over hibachi (Japanese heating appliance using charcoal as fuel) to catch residue gold and silver pieces.
Osechi-ryōri ( 御節料理 )
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| Osechi-ryori |
Osechi-ryōri, also called osechi, is trditional Japanese New Year foods. Osechi are easily recognizable by their special boxes called jūbako (重箱), which resemble bento boxes. Like bento boxes, jūbako are often kept stacked before and after use.
The term osechi originally referred to o-sechi, a season or significant period. New Year's Day was one of the five seasonal festivals (節句 sekku) in the Imperial Court in Kyoto. This custom of celebrating particular days was introduced from China into Japan.
Originally, during first three days of the New Year it was a taboo to use a hearth and cook meals, except when cooking zōni. Osechi was made by the close of the previous year, as women did not cook in the New Year.
In the earliest days, osechi consisted only of nimono, boiled vegetables with soy sauce and sugar or mirin. Over the generations, the variety of food included in osechi has increased. Today osechi may refer to anything prepared specially for the New Year, and some foreign dishes have been adopted as "Westernized osechi" (西洋お節 seiyō-osechi) or as "Chinese-style osechi" (中華風お節 chūkafū osechi). And while osechi was traditionally prepared at home, it is also sold ready-made in specialty stores, grocery stores, and even convenience stores, such as 7-Eleven.
Especially in households where osechi is still homemade, toshi-koshi soba (年越し蕎麦) is eaten on New Year's Eve. Its name literally means "year-crossing soba." Although there may be some symbolism attributed to it (i.e., long life, health and energy in the upcoming year), this tradition may be regarded as largely pragmatic: the traditional wife, busy cooking several days' worth of food for everyone, would likely prefer to make something simple for immediate consumption. It is considered bad luck by many Japanese to leave any toshi-koshi soba uneaten.
This foods consist of :
- Daidai (橙), Japanese bitter orange. Daidai means "from generation to generation" when written in different kanji as 代々. Like kazunoko below, it symbolizes a wish for children in the New Year.
- Datemaki (伊達巻 or 伊達巻き), sweet rolled omelet mixed with fish paste or mashed shrimp. They symbolize a wish for many auspicious days. On auspicious days (晴れの日, hare-no-hi), Japanese people traditionally wear fine clothing as a part of enjoying themselves. One of the meanings associated with the second kanji includes "fashionability," derived from the illustrious dress of the samurai from Date Han.
- Kamaboko (蒲鉾), broiled fish cake. Traditionally, slices of red and white kamaboko are alternated in rows or arranged in a pattern. The color and shape are reminiscent of Japan rising sun, and have a celebratory, festive meaning.
- Kazunoko (数の子), herring roe. Kazu means "number" and ko means "child." It symbolizes a wish to be gifted with numerous children in the New Year.
- Konbu (昆布), a kind of seaweed. It is associated with the word yorokobu, meaning "joy."
- Kuro-mame (黒豆), black soybeans. Mame also means "health," symbolizing a wish for health in the New Year.
- Kohaku-namasu (紅白なます), literally "red-white vegetable kuai," is made of daikon and carrot cut into thin strips and pickled in sweetened vinegar with yuzu flavor.
- Tai (鯛), red sea-bream. Tai is associated with the Japanese word medetai, symbolizing an auspicious event.
- Tazukuri (田作り), dried sardines cooked in soy sauce. The literal meaning of the kanji in tazukuri is "rice paddy maker," as the fish were used historically to fertilize rice fields. The symbolism is of an abundant harvest.
- Zōni (雑煮), a soup of mochi rice cakes in clear broth (in eastern Japan) or miso broth (in western Japan).
- Ebi (エビ), skewered prawns cooked with sake and soy sauce.
- Nishiki tamago (錦卵), egg roulade; the egg is separated before cooking, yellow symbolizing gold, and white symbolizing silver.
Legend:
1: Simmered shrimp, 2: Tazukuri,
1: Simmered shrimp, 2: Tazukuri,
3: Nishime Cooked vegetables, 4: Kamaboko,
5: Datemaki, 6: appetizer, 7: Konbumaki,
8:Kurikinton, 9: Tobiko, 10: Grilled sea bream,
11: Kazunoko, 12: Pickled vegetables,
13: Sweets, 14: appetizer, 15: Black beans,
16: Grilled lobster
Hatsumōde is the first shrine visit of the New Year in Japan. Some people visit a Buddhist temple instead. Many visit on the first, second, or third day of the year as most are off work on those days. Generally, wishes for the new year are made, new o-mamori (charms or amulets) are bought, and the old ones are returned to the shrine so they can be burned. There are often long lines at major shrines throughout Japan.
Most Japanese are off work from December 29 until January 3. It is during this time that the house is cleaned, debts are paid, friends and family are visited and gifts are exchanged. It would be customary to spend the early morning of New Year's Day in domestic worship, followed by sake—often containing edible gold flakes—and special celebration food. During the hatsumōde, it is common for men to wear a full kimono—one of the rare chances to see them doing so across a year. The act of worship is generally quite brief and individual and may involve queuing at popular shrines. The o-mamori vary substantially in price.
Nengajou (年賀状)
Nengajou is Japanese New Year's postcards. It is custom to Japanese to send nengajou at New Year's. Day Their original purpose was to give your faraway friends and relatives tidings of yourself and your immediate family. In other words, this custom existed for people to tell others whom they did not often meet that they were alive and well.. Japan Post Network accepts New Year's cards from mid December, and they deliver them on New Year's Day or later, depending on when cards are mailed.
It's a tradition for Japanese people to write New Year's cards during December. It's important to write "nenga" below the stamp or use prepaid New Year's postcards issued by Japan Post Network so that postal workers can distinguish New Year cards from regular mail.
Prepaid New Year's postcards with lottery numbers are the kind most commonly used by Japanese people. The lottery's winning numbers are picked in mid or late January. The prizes aren't money but are various goods, such as electronics, stamps, and so on. Those prepaid postcards are basically plain, so people print photos or images, draw pictures, and write messages on their own.
Another important part of the etiquette is not to send a New Year's card to a family in mourning. You might receive postcards from people who are in mourning from mid November, notifying you that they don't take and send New Year's greeting cards.
The postcards may have spaces for the sender to write a personal message. Blank cards are available, so people can hand-write or draw their own. Rubber stamps with conventional messages and with the annual animal are on sale at department stores and other outlets, and many people buy ink brushes for personal greetings. Special printing devices are popular, especially among people who practice crafts. Software also lets artists create their own designs and output them using their computer's color printer. Because a gregarious individual might have hundreds to write, print shops offer a wide variety of sample postcards with short messages so that the sender has only to write addresses. Even with the rise in popularity of email, the nengajo remains very popular in Japan.
Conventional nengajō greetings include:
Otoshidama (お年玉)
Otoshidama is a Japanese custom in which adults give children money over the New Year's Day. Bills are folded into three sections and put into small envelopes (pochibukuro), then handed to the children of close friends and relatives. It is similar to Goshugi bukuro or Chinese red envelopes and to the Scottish handsel. In the Edo period large stores and wealthy families gave out a small bag of mochi and a Mandarin orange to spread happiness all around.
Otoshidama is given when people visit friends, neighbors, and relatives between January 1-3. The money can be given after the holidays if you don't meet the child over the break, but never before the New Year begins. Children usually receive otoshidama until they finish high school, though it is not uncommon for university students to get money these.
Only bills are used for otoshidama so the minimum amount put in an envelope is 1,000 yen, the smallest bill in Japan. How much money given to a child depends on several factors, such as how old the child is, how many children you have to give otoshidama to, and, of course, how much money you make. Traditionally, older children are supposed to get more money but many people today give the same amount to siblings to prevent jealousy and arguing. An elementary school child may get from 1,000-5,000 yen in each envelope, while a junior high or high school kid can expect up to 10,000 yen.
Hatsumōde (初詣)
Most Japanese are off work from December 29 until January 3. It is during this time that the house is cleaned, debts are paid, friends and family are visited and gifts are exchanged. It would be customary to spend the early morning of New Year's Day in domestic worship, followed by sake—often containing edible gold flakes—and special celebration food. During the hatsumōde, it is common for men to wear a full kimono—one of the rare chances to see them doing so across a year. The act of worship is generally quite brief and individual and may involve queuing at popular shrines. The o-mamori vary substantially in price.
Nengajou (年賀状)
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| Nengajo |
It's a tradition for Japanese people to write New Year's cards during December. It's important to write "nenga" below the stamp or use prepaid New Year's postcards issued by Japan Post Network so that postal workers can distinguish New Year cards from regular mail.
Prepaid New Year's postcards with lottery numbers are the kind most commonly used by Japanese people. The lottery's winning numbers are picked in mid or late January. The prizes aren't money but are various goods, such as electronics, stamps, and so on. Those prepaid postcards are basically plain, so people print photos or images, draw pictures, and write messages on their own.
Another important part of the etiquette is not to send a New Year's card to a family in mourning. You might receive postcards from people who are in mourning from mid November, notifying you that they don't take and send New Year's greeting cards.
The postcards may have spaces for the sender to write a personal message. Blank cards are available, so people can hand-write or draw their own. Rubber stamps with conventional messages and with the annual animal are on sale at department stores and other outlets, and many people buy ink brushes for personal greetings. Special printing devices are popular, especially among people who practice crafts. Software also lets artists create their own designs and output them using their computer's color printer. Because a gregarious individual might have hundreds to write, print shops offer a wide variety of sample postcards with short messages so that the sender has only to write addresses. Even with the rise in popularity of email, the nengajo remains very popular in Japan.
Conventional nengajō greetings include:
- kotoshi mo yoroshiku o-negai-shimasu (今年もよろしくお願いします) (I hope for your favour again in the coming year)
- (shinnen) akemashite o-medetō-gozaimasu ((新年)あけましておめでとうございます) (Happiness to you on the dawn [of a New Year])
- kinga shinnen (謹賀新年) (Happy New Year)
- shoshun/hatsuharu (初春) (literally "early spring")
Otoshidama (お年玉)
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| Otoshidama |
Otoshidama is given when people visit friends, neighbors, and relatives between January 1-3. The money can be given after the holidays if you don't meet the child over the break, but never before the New Year begins. Children usually receive otoshidama until they finish high school, though it is not uncommon for university students to get money these.
Only bills are used for otoshidama so the minimum amount put in an envelope is 1,000 yen, the smallest bill in Japan. How much money given to a child depends on several factors, such as how old the child is, how many children you have to give otoshidama to, and, of course, how much money you make. Traditionally, older children are supposed to get more money but many people today give the same amount to siblings to prevent jealousy and arguing. An elementary school child may get from 1,000-5,000 yen in each envelope, while a junior high or high school kid can expect up to 10,000 yen.
