Japanese New Year 2014

At present the Japanese have adopted to the modern day Gregorian calendar, and as such their New Year celebrations occur according to the modern date. As such New Year 2014 would commence in Japan from Wednesday, January 1, 2014. However, the traditions observe upholds the rich cultural heritage of Japan.

The Japanese New Year is called Shogatsu. The preparations and celebrations do not start or end on the actual day itself. It is spread over a fortnight of the New Year season. New Year customs, traditions and celebrations of Japan can be discussed under the following heads –

    Clean the House – The preparations to welcome a New Year begins with a thorough cleaning that is given to the homes. Apart from homes, business places also receive similar treatment.

    Decorate the House – The traditional media of decoration homes as well as businesses for Japanese New Year are bamboo and pine. It is believed that since pine stays evergreen even in winter it is a symbol of overcoming all kinds of adversities that may come in the way. Bamboo with its straight structure represents virtue and its property to multiply easily symbolizes attaining more strength and virtues. Braided rice-straw ropes or wreaths are also an integral part of the decorations, and these signify that the home has been purified to welcome the positive spirits.

    Visit Family – Japanese New Year celebrations are essentially intimate ones. People celebrate the onset of a New Year with their family and the close circle of friends. It is often a custom to visit ancestral homes or hometowns during the New Year.

    Bell Ringing – On the evening of December 31, the temples in Japan sound the temple bell for 108 times. This has significance. According to Buddhist beliefs there are 108 types of sins that a human being can commit including the desire for worldly pleasures. The ringing of the bell is a reminder of all those sins so that people can abstain from them. Japanese people believe that hearing the ringing bell would help them get rid of all the sins that they may have committed in the year gone by. After they hear the bells, they begin the actual celebrations for the evening starting with a New Year’s Eve Party.

    Bonenkai – This is essentially a celebration arranged on the New Year’s Eve to mark the end of the year. Traditional party set up consists of low tables surrounded by tatami mats where people sit in cozy intimacy to enjoy traditional Japanese cuisine. The custom is not to fill up own cups or plates, instead always fill up those of your friends or family. Often a speech is made to commemorate the celebrations.

    Toshikoshi Soba – This is the tradition of eating long noodles on the New Year’s Eve. In fact this is one of the dishes served in the New Year’s Eve gathering. The long noodles symbolize a long and hearty life.

    Mochi – Simply put, these are handmade rice cakes made especially for the occasion. Then these are converted to New Year decorations called kagami mochi that is made of two of these rice cakes put together with a tangerine placed on the top. This kagami mocha is eaten on a specific day in January as part of the New Year rituals.

    Nengyo – This is a special New Year postcard decorated with traditional pictures that the Japanese send out to their friends and family. It is a way of communicating about your well being and that of your family to those people with whom you may on be in touch on a regular basis. The Japanese post offices make special efforts and arrangements to deliver these on January 1 if posted within the stipulated time. However, if there has been a death in the family in the past year then the family sends out a mourning-postcard beforehand to ask friends and family not to send them Nengyo as a mark of respect for the deceased person.

    Otoshidama – This is the Japanese tradition of gifting the children of the house with some money on the occasion of the New Year. Traditionally the money is given in an envelope and the amount of the money depends upon the age of the child. However, these days, people gift equal amount of money to all the children in the family so that there is no ill-feeling. Businesses also gift their revered customers mocha and tangerines.

    Visit a Shrine and make offerings – It is considered auspicious by the Japanese to visit the shrine on the New Year’s Day and make offerings. It is also a gathering point to interact with neighbors and acquaintances.

    Kohaku Uta Gassen – Choirs play Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony all across Japan. People either visit concerts to listen to it or turn on the television to enjoy the music. Many music competitions are also held on this day.

    Osechi – Japanese people consider it to be lucky to consume some particular food items around the New Year’s time. These include egg, fish cake, mocha soup, black beans, spiced sake and a few more.

    New Year Resolutions – New Year is a time to make fresh new starts as believed by the people of Japan. As such, it is a common practice to take up a New Year Resolution.

    Throwing a party and playing party games – New Year parties are very common in Japan. Apart from the chatting and feasting, some traditional party games like battledore or cards are also played. Flying kites is also a tradition during this time of the year.

    Hatsumode – Japanese people attach special significance to the first acts done on a New Year – like first writing, first dream, or the first visit to the shrine. Another significant first is to watch the first rays of the rising sun on January 1. On this day some people even travel to sea-sides or mountain tops to enjoy the sun rise.

    Kagami Biraki – On the eleventh day of January this ritual is observed where the decorations that were made of the Mochi are broken and cooked to be consumed.

    Visiting Dondoyaki – This marks the end of the New Year celebrations for that season. To observe this, people visit a local shrine where a bon fire is arranged for. They carry the talismans from the last year and also the New Year decorations with them. They put all these in the bonfire to officially mark the end of New Year rituals. After that they enjoy together sweet sake that is known as Amazaki.