In this season, most people says, “OMG!! Time flies so fast this year!.”
You are probably the one of these people and start to review your 2016,
but do not worry all people are living same dates as well as you lol
The downtown is now changed to Christmas mode right after finished Halloween season.
I do not know what do you do for Christmas,
but right after finishing Christmas season, the scenery will change to New Year’s mode.
In Japan, “Oshogatsu” is the word for New Year’s celebrating,
and we will introduce you about Japanese culture in Oshogatsu for this week’s featured article.
After reading this article, you can surely enjoy the celebrating new year in Japan
in terms of conventions, events, and foods.
First of all, there are some unique customs which are descended from the pasts.
Before welcoming Next Year, we need to prepare for that.
The first thing we do is “O-soji” which means general cleaning up the house (company also).
O-soji is to thank to everything during the year.
God gives you many lucks if you clean up every nook and corner.
After finishing O-soji, now it is about time to make “Kadomatsu” and “Kagami-mochi”
Kadomatsu (left) is a traditional decoration of the New Year.
It placed in pairs in front of homes to welcome ancestral spirits or kami (God).
It will be placed after Christmas until January 7th.
Kadomatsu is considered kami will stay here.
Kagami-mochi (right) is made of sticky rice cake (called mochi).
It stack on top each other and put orange on the top.
It is traditional offering to Shinto Gods.
If you could prepare these two, it looks Oshogatsu will coming soon!!
In New Year’s Eve, people eat “Toshikoshi-soba”.
It is year crossing noodle,
and it is offering to wish the long life as noodle (noodle is long and thin).
Wow, now you are ready to welcome the New Year!!!
Second, people have own way to spend the New Year season,
but there are lots of exciting events in Japan.
In Oshogatsu season, people visit their parents house or get together with relatives
in order to celebrate the New Year like Thanksgiving or Christmas of foreign countries.
When I was in childhood, “Otoshidama” is the most exciting event for me.
You know what… you can get money from parents, cousins, and grandparents!! wooooo lol
However, you have to give money to the kids after you grew up.
In the past, the mochi deserves Otoshidama… I was lucky then… lol
On New Years’ day, the shrines and temples will be so busy.
People will traditionally visit the multiple shrines and temples for praying.
Some shrines will have small festival that there are some foods such as
takoyaki (octpus dumpling) and yakitori (skewerd chicken).
Many and many people will line up in front of shrines and temples in order to pray,
so you need some endurance to line up lol
Almost all people are looking for “Omikuji” which is like japanese style of paper fortune.
What is your fortune for 2017?? you can enjoy like a game,
but some people believe what omikuji say and depress lol Please…DO NOT DO THAT lol
Finally, Japanese eat the foods that are considered good luck.
On New Year’s morning, Japanese people eat “Zo-ni”
It is mochi soup; generally, people use the mochi they placed as kagami mochi.
The basic soup and materials are different depending on the regions,
but mochi is common material.
When I eat Zo-ni, I feel like “oh It is new year…” haha
One more famous foods for Oshogatsu is “Osechi”.
It is the small portion of various foods
such as bamboo (grow), kobumaki (originated from “yorokobu” which means happy),
kazunoko (fertility), tazukuri (good harvest), kurikinton (be rich),
yellow tale (life success), shrimp (longevity), and so on.
As “Zo-ni”, the cooking styles is varied by region.
As you can see, all materials are related to happy or good luck!!!
Well, this is just the small part of Japanese style of celabrating the New Year,
and there are lots of traditions and customs throughout the country.
It is not enough to explain at all.
However, surely you can enjoy Oshogatsu in Japan if you know these information.
Of course going to abroad for new year is also one of the options and going to be excited,
but Oshogatsu in Japan is also fun and may experience different culture!
What do you think?
