Japanese New Year
japanese new year 正月 shōgatsu annual festival take place japan since official japanese new year celebrated according gregorian calendar january year new year day 元日 ganjitsu prior traditional event japanese new year celebrated first day year modern tenpō calendar last official lunisolar calendar prior meiji period date japanese new year based japanese version lunisolar calendar last tenpō calendar prior jōkyō calendar chinese version however five year meiji restoration japan adopted gregorian calendar first day january became official cultural new year day japan japanese eat selection dish new year celebration called osechiryōri typically shortened osechi many dish sweet sour dried keep without refrigeration culinary tradition date time household refrigerator store closed holiday many variation osechi food eaten one region eaten place even considered inauspicious banned new year day another popular dish ozōni soup mochi rice cake ingredient differ various region japan also common eat buckwheat noodle called toshikoshi soba ōmisoka new year eve today sashimi sushi often eaten well nonjapanese food let overworked stomach rest sevenherb rice soup 七草粥 nanakusagayu prepared seventh day january day known jinjitsu another custom create eat rice cake mochi steamed sticky rice mochigome put wooden container usu patted water one person another person hit large wooden mallet mashing rice form sticky white dumpling made new year day eaten beginning january mochi made new year decoration called kagami mochi formed two round cake mochi tangerine daidai placed top name daidai supposed auspicious since mean several generation midnight december buddhist temple japan ring bell total time joya kane 除夜の鐘 symbolize earthly temptation buddhist belief get rid worldly desire regarding sense feeling every japanese citizen major attraction watched night bell tokyo traditional japanese belief ringing bell rid sin passing year bell rung time st past midnight end december beginning january busiest japanese post office japanese custom sending new year day postcard 年賀状 nengajō friend relative similar western custom sending christmas card original purpose give faraway friend relative tidings oneself one immediate family— tell one often meet heshe alive well sending greeting timed arrive january post office guarantee delivery day card marked word nengajō mailed middecember day year end deliver time post office usually hire student parttime customary refrain sending postcard death family year case family member sends simple mourning postcard 喪中葉書 mochū hagaki inform friend relative send new year card respect deceased people get nengajō many source stationer sell preprinted card chinese zodiac sign new year design conventional greeting chinese zodiac cycle year year represented animal animal order rat ox tiger rabbit dragon snake horse goat monkey rooster dog pig year rat recent start cycle famous character like snoopy cartoon character like mickey minnie mouse especially popular celebrated year addressing generally done hand opportunity demonstrate one handwriting see shodō postcard may space sender write personal message blank card available people handwrite draw rubber stamp conventional message annual animal sale department store outlet many people buy ink brush personal greeting special printing device popular especially among people practice craft computer software also let artist create print design social individual hundred card write may go print shop choose wide variety card prepared short message sender address despite omnipresence email nengajō remains popular although younger generation sends hardly card prefer exchange digital greeting via mobile phone recent year wider society gradually come accept digital greeting conventional greeting include kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu 今年もよろしくお願いします hope favor coming year shinnen akemashite omedetōgozaimasu 新年あけましておめでとうございます happiness dawn new year kinga shinnen 謹賀新年 happy new year gashō 賀正 celebrate january shoshunhatsuharu 初春 early spring traditional lunar calendar year begin early spring geishun 迎春 welcome spring new year day japanese people custom known otoshidama adult relative give money child handed small decorated envelope called pochibukuro similar shūgibukuro chinese hóngbāo scottish handsel edo period large store wealthy family would give small bag mochi mandarin orange spread happiness around amount money given depends age child usually one child one feel slighted uncommon amount greater ¥ approximately u given new year tradition also part japanese poetry including haiku poem syllable three line five seven five renga linked poetry tradition would appropriate include haiku kigo season word also haiku celebrate many first new year first sun hatsuhi first sunrise first laughter waraizome—starting new year smile considered good sign first dream hatsuyume since traditional new year later year current date many mention beginning spring along new year day postcard haiku might mention first letter hatsudayori—meaning first exchange letter first calligraphy kakizome first brush fude hajime first three day new year seven lucky god said pilot heaven human port takarabune treasure ship picture ship form essential part traditional japanese new year celebration also customary play many new year game include hanetsuki takoage kite flying koma spinning top sugoroku fukuwarai whereby blindfolded person place paper part face eye eyebrow nose mouth paper face karuta japanese playing card many show created endofyear beginningofyear entertainment special edition regular show many decade customary watch tv show kōhaku uta gassen aired nhk new year eve show feature two team red white popular music artist competing final emperor cup national association football elimination tournament new year day final taken place new year day since usually aired nhk mixed martial art japan organization pride fc dream held event new year eve rizin fighting federation held new year eve event since founding beethoven ninth symphony accompanying chorus traditionally performed throughout japan new year season december example performance symphony various major orchestra choir japan ninth introduced japan world war german prisoner held bandō prisonerofwar camp japanese orchestra notably nhk symphony orchestra began performing symphony world war ii imperial government promoted performance symphony including new year eve encourage allegiance japanese nationalism war orchestra chorus undergoing economic hard time reconstruction japan promoted performance piece around new year popularity music public performance symphony new year became widespread including participation local choir orchestra established tradition continues day used also associated festival little new year 小正月 koshōgatsu traditionally celebrating first full moon new year th day first lunar month approximately midfebruary celebrated around january various respect main event koshōgatsu rite practice praying bountiful harvest rice gruel adzuki bean 小豆粥 azukigayu traditionally eaten morning involved rice gruel divination ceremony new year decoration taken around date burnt sagichō dondoyaki fire temple hold event tōrinin region japan including okinawa prefecture amami island kagoshima prefecture used celebrate lunar new year first day lunar calendar around first day spring february gregorian calendar nowadays rare celebrate lunar new year new year considered january ōmisoka new year eve celebration japan first sunrise hatsumōde first shinto shrine visit japanese new year list important intangible folk cultural property custom etiquette japan japanese festival japanese calendar japanese cuisine new year toso spiced medicinal sake namahage celebration lunar new year part asia chinese new year spring festival korean new year seollal mongolian new year tsagaan sar tibetan new year losar vietnamese new year tết nguyên đán similar asian lunisolar new year celebration occur april burmese new year thingyan cambodian new year chaul chnam thmey lao new year pii mai sri lankan new year aluth avuruddu thai new year songkran medium related new year celebration japan wikimedia common