Japanese New Year (Oshogatsu)

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Japan has no national holiday for Christmas (although Christmas is certainly celebrated in terms of presents and deocrations). Instead, many people enjoy a break of around a week for new year.

Celebrtions begin on new year's eve when many people visit Buddhist temples to hear the temple bells rung 108 times at midnight. This is to announce the passing of the old year and the coming of the new.

The reason they are rung 108 times is because of the Buddhist belief that human beings are plagued by 108 earthly desires or passions (bonno). With each ring one desire is dispelled. It is also a custom to eat toshikoshi soba in the hope that one's family fortunes will extend like the long noodles.

New Year observances are the most important and elaborate of Japan's annual events. Before the New Year, homes are cleaned, debts are paid off, and osechi (food in lacquered trays for the New Year) is prepared or bought. Homes are decorated and the holidays are celebrated by family gatherings, visits to temples or shrines, and formal calls on relatives and friends. The first day of the year (ganjitsu) is usually spent with members of the family. People also visit Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.

 
People visiting Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines on new year's day

In the Imperial Palace at dawn on the 1st of January, the emperor performs the rite of shihohai (worship of the four quarters), in which he does reverence in the direction of various shrines and imperial tombs and offers prayers for the well-being of the nation. On January 2nd the public is allowed to enter the inner palace grounds; the only other day this is possible is the emperor's birthday (December 23).

On the 2nd and 3rd days acquaintances visit one another to extend greetings (nenshi) and sip otoso (a spiced rice wine). Exchanging New Year's greeting cards (similar to Christmas Cards in Western countries) is another important Japanese custom.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Japanese festivals"

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