New Years Day in Japan☆

How do you spend New Years Day? I will introduce you how to spend New Years Day in Japan.

We prepare to come to New Year since late December. On December 30th, people make Kagami-Mochi (鏡餅）. It is a rice cake with 3 layers. We put it at Tokonoma (床の間 It is a part of room, alcove. People believe that there is a God.） On December 31th, Oshogatsu kazari （お正月飾り） is decorated at front door. Our grandfathers make it by straw hoping for a good crop. In the night, We eat Toshikoshisoba (年越しそば）. At 12:00 pm, people who live near temple, can hear Jyoyanokane (除夜の鐘）. Buddhist priest tolls the bell 108 times. It is said that 108 means humans worldly desires or sufferings by Buddhism.

On January 1st, we eat Osechiryori （おせち料理） which is made by our mothers. It contains many kinds of dishes. Several dishes have several wishes. For example, Kazunoko, egg of herring, symbolizes a wish to be gifted with children. Children can get Otoshidama （お年玉）, money gift, from their parents and grandparents.

On January 2nd, we go to a shrine with our family. We make a wish to Gods. Someone draw Omikuji (おみくじ）. It is a lot written fortune of many subjects. For example, health, love, study, marriage, and so on. There are some ranks of lot, 大吉(excellent luck）, 中吉（second luck）...., 凶（the worth). If you draw 大吉, you should take out as a charm. If you draw others, you would be better to tie it in rope or branch which is near box of lot. (image source)

There are traditional ways to spend New Years Day in Japan. Japanese people think New Years Day is more sensational than Christmas Day. It might be interesting to spend New Years on Japanese style!