Shogatsu – The New Year

New Year’s is the most important holiday in Japan and is celebrated for many days, though January 1st is the only day to actually be recognized as a national holiday.

To begin celebration of the first day of the new year, many Japanese gather to watch the new year’s first sunrise. It is also customary to visit a shrine or temple during the new year, and many Japanese do not hesitate to make their appearance at midnight, the actual moment that the year turns and the large temple bells are simultaneously rung.

An important part of the celebration is eliminating all the bad fortune from the previous year and praying for good fortune in the coming year. Each new year provides a fresh start in life, and bonenkai parties, or “year forgetting parties,” are held so that individuals may leave the old year’s worries and troubles behind. Furthermore, all duties should be completed by the end of the year, so that no work must be done on the start of the new year. The day should be full of joy and free of anger.

The Japanese decorate the entrance to their homes with pairs of ornaments made from pine, bamboo, and plum trees, which represent longevity, prosperity, and steadfastness, respectively. These decorations, called kadomatsu, or “gate pines,” supposedly welcome ancestral spirits, or kami, of the harvest.

Various types of special dishes are also served during the New Year, including a vegetable soup with mochi, called ozoni, and a sweetened rice wine, called otoso. New Year’s postcards are also exchanged, and children receive gifts of money.

Seijin no Hi – Coming of Age Day

The 2nd Monday in January is also a national holiday in Japan, called Coming of Age Day. All people who turn 20 that year are celebrated on this day, for that is the age that young people enter adulthood. Ceremonies are held in cities and towns nationwide, often with addresses made by prominent members of the community. Formal dress is often worn, and plenty of alcohol is served to those who are being celebrated.