New Year Culture in Japan

In Japanese, New Year called Shougatsu. According to Japanese belief, new year tradition must be celebrated as a symbol of spirit and new luck. This habit already does since past time. These are some of their habit to celebrate new year :

Cleaning whole of house and display decoration

Cleaning whole of house totally before new yeat called susuharai. After it, they display 3 kodamatsu (sharp bamboo decoration), and matsukasari (decoration made from casuarina tree), usually hanged in front of front door. Another decoration named shimenawa – look like little sumo rope, shimezakari – usually hanged in private car as a symbol to celebrate new year and hope for good luck.

Send New Year Card

Nengajou (send new year card) via post become a permanent culture in Japanese citizens. Even in super modern country – simply send happy new year via internet or handphone), but they still post cards. Because of there are so much people send their cards, made postman super busy. To help them in their work, they employ arubaito worker (half-time worker) in order to make people satisfied with their work.

Japan new year card

Hatsuuri (Sale)

Hatsuuri or special sale in new year become something that have been waiting for, with unbelievable discount. There are “lucky bags” or fukubukuro. People can choose and buy those bags very cheap. Interesting point is, inside those bags, there are variation things. If the buyer lucky, he/she can get very expensive things! This event usually held in second day of new year.

Eat

With their closest people, Japanese get eat and drink and forget every bad luck in last year. According to their myth, if you eat soba in new year, you’ll have good luck, better than last year.

Game

New year in Japan identical with traditional game, like karuta or card game special new year. There is also hanetsuki, a game like badminton, using wood as racket and shuttlecock. Another game is takoage (written and colorful kite), koma or spin, and sugoroku or snake and ladder.

hanetsuki rackets

Present

For kids, beside game, they also waiting for oseibo or purezento or present from their family. The present are things or otoshidama (pocket money). This money usually put in an unique wallet / pocket.

Religious Ceremony

Japanese frequently do their religious ritual in new year. There is joyanokane, that is new year bell rings for 108 times. And then, hatsumairi, that is go to Shinto temple for choumeiri or pray for good luck in future. Another ceremony is, koizome, that is write calligraphy with brush (write good luck and another hope). There are also engimono and omamori, that is sold paper in front of the temple.

Bamboo decoration

Family

Even they were very busy in new year, Japanese have keep their one tradition in celebrate new year, that is have sleep tight or neshougatsu. The advantage is to have hatsuyume (first nice dream in New Year) which is as a symbol of luck. Another family agenda is in the first day in office, called hatsuni. There are also nanakusagayu (drink 7 herbal drink in January 7^th), Kagamibiraki (open big mochi / kagamimochi ceremony) in January 11^th, azukigayu (drink red bean water for health) in January 15^th, and so many other traditions until setsubun (end od new year festival / ceremony) and also as symbol of the beginning of spring in February.

In the end of December, Japanese usually say “yoi o toshi o”, means “wish next year become good year”, and in January 1^st, they will say “Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu”, means “happy new year”.