![]() As for "osechi ryori," they tend to be pricey, but we’ve written about how you can get cheaper "osechi" sets here.Ī few minutes before New Year, some temples ring a large bell 108 times as part of a ritual called "joya no kane." Why 108 times? In Buddhism, 108 is the number of earthly desires that cause humans much suffering, and "joya no kane" is supposed to purify humans’ minds and souls for the year up ahead. Basic ingredients (noodles, "dashi," and soy sauce for "toshikoshi soba" and "mochi" and "dashi" for "ozoni") aside, these dishes’ ingredients vary across households and regions. Meanwhile, "ozoni" (a savory soup with mochi), and "osechi ryori" (an encompassing term for dishes or food items traditionally eaten during the New Year due to symbolic value) are eaten during New Year. "Toshikoshi soba" (literally year-crossing buckwheat noodles), are served hot on New Year’s Eve to symbolize the cutting off of the year’s misfortunes, as well as wishes for good luck and long life. Ushering in good fortune is the rationale behind many Japanese New Year traditions, so it’s not surprising that some dishes are designated as luck-bringing ones. Eat toshikoshi soba, ozoni, and osechi ryori. Kohaku‘s ratings are no longer as high as they once were in the ’60s and ’70s, for several presumed reasons such as the advent of the internet (and perhaps people being too preoccupied with their smartphones!), but the show still has a loyal viewership base.ģ. The audience and judges then vote for the best team. The artists are invited by NHK, so to be on the show is considered an honor. Broadcast on the public channel NHK from around 7:15 pm until 11:45 pm, this 4.5-hour long program involves a musical battle (in fact, the title literally translates to “Red-and-White Song Battle”) between two teams consisting of the year’s most popular and commercially successful artists. Watching this long-running show, which started in 1959, has become a New Year’s Eve tradition for many Japanese families. There isn’t really a dedicated website for parks to announce schedules of mini-events, so chancing upon one is mostly a matter of luck, and as for Tokyu Hands, you can check their event page (in Japanese) for announcements. Some Tokyu Hands branches might also have such workshops. ![]() If you’re into crafting, some parks occasionally have crafting workshops, in which you can learn to make your own kadomatsu and/or other decorations. Other lucky New Year items are "hagoita" (a wooden paddle used to play a badminton-like game called "hanetsuki," though elaborately designed ones are purely ornamental) to hit and drive away bad luck, and "hamaya" (an arrow that destroys evil spirits), which is usually only sold in shrines during the first three days of the New Year. There’s also an offering to the gods called "kagami mochi," two round rice cakes stacked one on top of the other and topped with an orange, which is placed on the household Shinto altar. They consist of "shimenawa" (a sacred straw rope), pine, and a bitter orange (a symbol of posterity), among others. "Shimekazari" are hung above doors, also to invite and welcome gods of good fortune and ward off evil spirits. They’re said to be the temporary dwelling places of gods who visit to bless humans, and are usually burned after January 15. "Kadomatsu," an ornament that is placed at an entrance, consists of three bamboo shoots of different lengths (symbolizing prosperity), pine (symbolizing longevity), and plum branches (symbolizing steadfastness). They’re not just for businesses they’re used as home ornaments as well. Walking around Tokyo, you might see "kadomatsu" and "shimekazari" adorning shops, hotels, and other establishments. Invite good luck into your place with some auspicious decorations. As busy as many people are, the working populace gets a few days off for "nenmatsu nenshi" (literally, “end of the year and beginning of the year”).Įver wanted to try celebrating the New Year the way the Japanese do? Now you can learn how! Note that you don’t have to do all these things not everyone sticks to each and every tradition, after all.ġ. In fact, most Japanese will be at home (and, if they’re not from Tokyo, in their hometowns) with their families. With celebrations extending until January 3, New Year in Japan is a quiet, solemn, family affair, and it’s not marked by noisy reveling, fireworks, or countdown parties. Japanese New Year celebrations are quite different from Western ones. ![]() That’s because in Japan, Christmas is, like Halloween, just another fun holiday without traditional, cultural (let alone religious) significance, and the traditional winter holiday for the Japanese is "oshogatsu' (literally, “first month”), or New Year. In some countries, Christmas decorations get taken down well after Christmas (or even New Year), but in Japan, after the 25th, it’s as if Christmas never happened. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |