Hello again, and Happy New Year! It’s a bit late, I know, but in Japan New Year celebrations extend beyond just the 1st of January. I do use the term celebration rather loosely here, as the Japanese traditions surrounding the new year are much different from those of most western cultures. For example, there generally aren’t many countdown parties. For most people the sunrise of the first day is considered more significant than the stroke of midnight. As such, one tradition here is to climb Mt. Fuji New Year’s Eve night and watch the sunrise from the peak. I imagine this tradition is particularly popular with people who enjoy freezing and falling down a lot. But of course the festivities don’t end there!
One thing that almost all people do in the new year is go to a shrine. There are many reasons for going to a shrine, most of which involve giving money to the priests in exchange for health, wealth, or good luck in the coming year. This tradition, of course, is particularly enjoyed by the priests. Also available for purchase are various charms and trinkets to the same end, as well as omikuji which are small slips of paper that tell you your fortune for the new year. The best part of this tradition is that if you’re not satisfied with your fortune, you can tie it to a special pole which will get rid of your bad fortune for you. After that, if your wife is very superstitious, you will probably buy another one. Or two. Just in case! I asked my wife if bad fortune could be avoided simply by not buying one. She said no.
But there’s a really nice side to all this as well! Just like Christmas in the United States, the new year is a time for getting together with family in Japan. Visiting my wife’s family for the new year always means one thing: fresh, delicious crab. The traditional dinner served at this time of year is called osechi and usually includes many colorful and traditional Japanese dishes. That I don’t like. But my wife’s family’s osechi always includes fresh crab, which tastes incredible. Also, my Mother-in-law usually buys a pizza for me as well, due to my being American. Some might find this a bit stereotypical. I find it delicious.
All in all, I had a wonderful New Years holiday, and I hope everyone else did as well. Best of luck to everyone in 2010!
[...] rich culture and traditions of the Japanese American heritage, said a statement from organizers. …A New Year! Married in JapanI do use the term celebration rather loosely here, as the Japanese traditions surrounding the new [...]