thomas
Dec 31, 2002, 08:26
New Year [shogatsu sanganichi] is one of the most important holidays in Japan. Celebrated between January 1st and January 3rd most Japanese are off during shogatsu. It is interesting to note that until the end of the Tokugawa era New Year was celebrated according to the Chinese calendar on February 1st.
Traditionally, the start into the new year should be as smooth as possible, as the course of shogatsu is supposed to reflect the rest of the year. Houses are thoroughly cleaned [susuharai] and new or at least clean clothes are worn (aspect of purification).
Susuharai is actually a ritualised cleaning of temples: priests beat the dust out of the tatami mats and clean their temples inside and outside.
The entrance of temples and private homes are decorated with kadomatsu (http://www.valentine.gr/Kadomatsu_en.htm) made of pine, bamboo and bamboo grass (to get an impression of what kadomatsu look like see the pine decoration in our New Year logo).
When asked about what New Year means to them personally most Japanese will mention family reunions and special shogatsu
dishes [osechi-ryori (http://japanesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa120800a.htm)] such as:
- rice cakes [o-mochi (http://www.humnet.ucla.edu/humnet/folklore/folk15/Cindy%20Wong/home.html)]: very sticky stuff made of pounded rice, each year a couple of elderly folks suffocate because of o-mochi
- New Year soup [o-zoni (http://allrecipes.iwon.com/encyc/terms/O/7713.asp)]: usually eaten with o-mochi
- buckwheat noodles [toshikoshi soba (http://www.ajinomoto.com/traditions/winter_07.html)]: they symbolise longevity, read the story (http://www.yo.rim.or.jp/~ryoma/culture/december/soba.html) behind the "year-crossing noodles"
Another tradition is to visit Buddhist temples. At midnight on New Year's eve temple bells [tsuri-gane] are rung 108 times [joya-no-kane (http://www.ajinomoto.com/traditions/winter_06.html)], each toll representing a human vice. By listening to the bells people will be relieved of their sins.
While friends and acquaintances exchange New year cards [nengajo (http://metropolis.japantoday.com/tokyoculture/351/tokyocultureinc.htm)] before New Year's eve, children receive special gifts [otoshi-dama (http://www1.pref.tokushima.jp/kankyou/seikatsubunka/awalife/january01/otoshidama.html)], usually small envelopes containing money.
For more detailed info on Japanese New Year habits I recommend the following links
=> http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2064.html
=> http://mothra.rerf.or.jp/ENG/Hiroshima/Festivals/27.html
Traditionally, the start into the new year should be as smooth as possible, as the course of shogatsu is supposed to reflect the rest of the year. Houses are thoroughly cleaned [susuharai] and new or at least clean clothes are worn (aspect of purification).
Susuharai is actually a ritualised cleaning of temples: priests beat the dust out of the tatami mats and clean their temples inside and outside.
The entrance of temples and private homes are decorated with kadomatsu (http://www.valentine.gr/Kadomatsu_en.htm) made of pine, bamboo and bamboo grass (to get an impression of what kadomatsu look like see the pine decoration in our New Year logo).
When asked about what New Year means to them personally most Japanese will mention family reunions and special shogatsu
dishes [osechi-ryori (http://japanesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa120800a.htm)] such as:
- rice cakes [o-mochi (http://www.humnet.ucla.edu/humnet/folklore/folk15/Cindy%20Wong/home.html)]: very sticky stuff made of pounded rice, each year a couple of elderly folks suffocate because of o-mochi
- New Year soup [o-zoni (http://allrecipes.iwon.com/encyc/terms/O/7713.asp)]: usually eaten with o-mochi
- buckwheat noodles [toshikoshi soba (http://www.ajinomoto.com/traditions/winter_07.html)]: they symbolise longevity, read the story (http://www.yo.rim.or.jp/~ryoma/culture/december/soba.html) behind the "year-crossing noodles"
Another tradition is to visit Buddhist temples. At midnight on New Year's eve temple bells [tsuri-gane] are rung 108 times [joya-no-kane (http://www.ajinomoto.com/traditions/winter_06.html)], each toll representing a human vice. By listening to the bells people will be relieved of their sins.
While friends and acquaintances exchange New year cards [nengajo (http://metropolis.japantoday.com/tokyoculture/351/tokyocultureinc.htm)] before New Year's eve, children receive special gifts [otoshi-dama (http://www1.pref.tokushima.jp/kankyou/seikatsubunka/awalife/january01/otoshidama.html)], usually small envelopes containing money.
For more detailed info on Japanese New Year habits I recommend the following links
=> http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2064.html
=> http://mothra.rerf.or.jp/ENG/Hiroshima/Festivals/27.html