Although New Year's is celebrated all over the world, it is perhaps most significant in Japan, as it is seen not only as the beginning of a new year but also symbolizes starting anew and the end of the previous year's sins. Japan's New Year is a holiday steeped in tradition. While it would take a long time to uncover all its intricacy, with only a small shovel we can uncover just enough to pique some interest.
New Year's in Japan begins on the last day of December and is called Oshougatsu. The celebration on New Year's Eve is called Shogatsu and the day after is called Gantan. Though people celebrate defferently based on their religion, some practices are typical.
After waking up, a Japanese man or woman will most likely engage in his or her daily Rajio Taiso, or morning exercises. Widely popular across the whole nation, simple exercise after getting up is encouraged and is thought to help maintain health and motivate a person to set aside a small part of the day. After this comes breakfast. On New Year's morning, the popular breakfast food, special treats packaged in bright wrappers and delivered in small boxes, is called Osechi Ryori. Some of these items are Datemaki (Sweet Rolled Omelette), Kuri Kinton (Candied Chestnut with Sweet Potatoes), Tazukuri (Candied Sardines), and Kuromame (Sweet Black Soybeans). Interestingly, most of these foods would be considered savory rather than sweet, but the Japanese consider them candy.
In Japan, honoring the gods is very important and, depending upon the person, his daily life may revolve around visits to a local shrine. During New Year's Eve, shrines become the most popular places of travel and each town and city has at least one. Asakusa Shrine in Tokyo is the most crowded, with 2.83 million people passing through it during the holiday. A typical shrine is a colorful multi-tiered building with Japanese words written on its supporting pillars. This building is in the middle of a large courtyard in which, during the holiday, booths and vendors sell different religious items, including Omikuji, a fortune for the next year; Emas, little cards where people write their wishes for the next year; and charms to protect the person's home. Also in this courtyard, people dispose of last years charm's in a specific booth. Those are later collected by the shrine's priests and burned.
Every shrine has a Tori, or big gate at its entrance. Starting at this gate and winding all the way to the shrine itself is a gravel or stone walkway for the people entering and exiting. When people use them, they only walk on the far left and right sides, never in the middle. It is thought in Japan that the gods who have come to earth walk in the middle of the path and people don't want to get in their way.
Before a person reaches the actual shrine, he must first cleanse himself at the courtyard's well. In the cleansing process, the person first bows towards the water, then takes a special dipper in his right hand and pours water over his left hand. This is repeated for the other side. Then he fills his left hand with water and with that rinses out his mouth, spitting it out instead of swallowing it, but not back into the well. Then the left hand is cleansed again and the dipper itself is cleaned. This is done by filling the dipper up again and tipping it upward until the water spills over the handle. It is preferable if the water doesn't spill everywhere on the well but it is all right if it does.
The most important part of a New Year's visit to the shrine happens when a person reaches the actual building. Here he prays to the god of that shrine in a very specific way. First, after throwing a little money in a nearby offering box, he bows twice towards the shrine, claps his hands twice with his left hand slightly higher than his right, prays to the respective god, and then bows one more time. This praying process is called Nirei Nihakushu Ichirei.
Many shines hold festivals during New Year's Eve, so even if a person has finished praying for the day, he may stay at the shrine to enjoy the celebration. During these festivals, traditional Japanese bonfires are lit. While these are mostly meant to keep the large groups of people warm, they are also used for a religious purpose. Many people believe that a Shinto deity named Toshigami comes down from the sky and walks among the people on the last day of the old year. The smoke from the bonfires is supposed to help this god return to heaven for the new year. These bonfires are very popular and are called Dondoyaki.
The rest of a Japanese New Year's Eve is typically filled with many kinds of celebrations. A person might climb to the top of the Tokyo Tower to observe the skyline and city lights, or he might write and send special greeting cards to friends and relatives. These cards are considered so important that the Japanese postal service works all day and even into the night to make sure every single one is delivered on New Year's Day. The last thing that a person might do on New Year's Eve is watch the popular TV show, The Dash, a special program for New Year's which features Japanese celebrities participating in funny games and activities.
While not as important as New Year's Eve, New Year's Day is also a huge part of the Japanese holiday. The emperor of Japan might give a nationwide address and families will spend the day cleaning their homes for a fresh start to the year. But this day is mostly dedicated to rest and enjoying one's family. Younger children are gifted with small amounts of money from relatives and people may enter the post office's Nangajou prize drawing. While the prizes used to be bigger, like TVs and paid vacations, it has now downsized to only cash. People once again eat special New Year's foods and spend the day visiting. People in the workforce get one to two weeks vacation time after New Year's
Japan's New Year's is quite extraordinary. There is so much to see, do, and experience that even after years of celebrating the holiday, I'm certain there would still be a few surprises waiting to be discovered. Truly a wonderful mix of old traditions and new ones in the making, Oshougatu is exiting and would be a great holiday experience for anyone who would like to join in the celebration.
Photo Credit: DunCan Sensei - DunCan Sensei Japanese
Sources Cited:
Namiko Chen "Osechi Ryori" (Japanese New Year Food)
Soedjatmiko Sanny Hartanto "Morning Exercise."
Jeffrey Hays "Everyday Life in Japan"
Heylinni "Japan Vlog 4, New Year's in Japan."
Bua Loy "Six most visited New Year's shrines and temples."
Shizuko Mishima "The Highlights of the Japanese New Year Celebration."
Reina Scully "How to pray at a Japanese shrine on New Year's."
Live Japan Perfect Guide "Spiritual Bonfires at the New Year!"
Rachel and Jun Yoshidamasaki "How Japanese celebrate New Year."
In Japan, honoring the gods is very important and, depending upon the person, his daily life may revolve around visits to a local shrine. During New Year's Eve, shrines become the most popular places of travel and each town and city has at least one. Asakusa Shrine in Tokyo is the most crowded, with 2.83 million people passing through it during the holiday. A typical shrine is a colorful multi-tiered building with Japanese words written on its supporting pillars. This building is in the middle of a large courtyard in which, during the holiday, booths and vendors sell different religious items, including Omikuji, a fortune for the next year; Emas, little cards where people write their wishes for the next year; and charms to protect the person's home. Also in this courtyard, people dispose of last years charm's in a specific booth. Those are later collected by the shrine's priests and burned.
Every shrine has a Tori, or big gate at its entrance. Starting at this gate and winding all the way to the shrine itself is a gravel or stone walkway for the people entering and exiting. When people use them, they only walk on the far left and right sides, never in the middle. It is thought in Japan that the gods who have come to earth walk in the middle of the path and people don't want to get in their way.
Before a person reaches the actual shrine, he must first cleanse himself at the courtyard's well. In the cleansing process, the person first bows towards the water, then takes a special dipper in his right hand and pours water over his left hand. This is repeated for the other side. Then he fills his left hand with water and with that rinses out his mouth, spitting it out instead of swallowing it, but not back into the well. Then the left hand is cleansed again and the dipper itself is cleaned. This is done by filling the dipper up again and tipping it upward until the water spills over the handle. It is preferable if the water doesn't spill everywhere on the well but it is all right if it does.
The most important part of a New Year's visit to the shrine happens when a person reaches the actual building. Here he prays to the god of that shrine in a very specific way. First, after throwing a little money in a nearby offering box, he bows twice towards the shrine, claps his hands twice with his left hand slightly higher than his right, prays to the respective god, and then bows one more time. This praying process is called Nirei Nihakushu Ichirei.
Many shines hold festivals during New Year's Eve, so even if a person has finished praying for the day, he may stay at the shrine to enjoy the celebration. During these festivals, traditional Japanese bonfires are lit. While these are mostly meant to keep the large groups of people warm, they are also used for a religious purpose. Many people believe that a Shinto deity named Toshigami comes down from the sky and walks among the people on the last day of the old year. The smoke from the bonfires is supposed to help this god return to heaven for the new year. These bonfires are very popular and are called Dondoyaki.
The rest of a Japanese New Year's Eve is typically filled with many kinds of celebrations. A person might climb to the top of the Tokyo Tower to observe the skyline and city lights, or he might write and send special greeting cards to friends and relatives. These cards are considered so important that the Japanese postal service works all day and even into the night to make sure every single one is delivered on New Year's Day. The last thing that a person might do on New Year's Eve is watch the popular TV show, The Dash, a special program for New Year's which features Japanese celebrities participating in funny games and activities.
While not as important as New Year's Eve, New Year's Day is also a huge part of the Japanese holiday. The emperor of Japan might give a nationwide address and families will spend the day cleaning their homes for a fresh start to the year. But this day is mostly dedicated to rest and enjoying one's family. Younger children are gifted with small amounts of money from relatives and people may enter the post office's Nangajou prize drawing. While the prizes used to be bigger, like TVs and paid vacations, it has now downsized to only cash. People once again eat special New Year's foods and spend the day visiting. People in the workforce get one to two weeks vacation time after New Year's
Japan's New Year's is quite extraordinary. There is so much to see, do, and experience that even after years of celebrating the holiday, I'm certain there would still be a few surprises waiting to be discovered. Truly a wonderful mix of old traditions and new ones in the making, Oshougatu is exiting and would be a great holiday experience for anyone who would like to join in the celebration.
Photo Credit: DunCan Sensei - DunCan Sensei Japanese
Sources Cited:
Namiko Chen "Osechi Ryori" (Japanese New Year Food)
Soedjatmiko Sanny Hartanto "Morning Exercise."
Jeffrey Hays "Everyday Life in Japan"
Heylinni "Japan Vlog 4, New Year's in Japan."
Bua Loy "Six most visited New Year's shrines and temples."
Shizuko Mishima "The Highlights of the Japanese New Year Celebration."
Reina Scully "How to pray at a Japanese shrine on New Year's."
Live Japan Perfect Guide "Spiritual Bonfires at the New Year!"
Rachel and Jun Yoshidamasaki "How Japanese celebrate New Year."
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