A [b]kadomatsu[/b] (literally "gate pine") is a traditional Japanese decoration of the [[New Year]] placed in pairs in front of homes to welcome ancestral spirits or [i]kami[/i] of the harvest. They are placed after [[Christmas]] until January 7 (or January 15 during the Edo period) and are considered temporary housing ("[i]shintai[/i]":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shintai) for [i]kami[/i]. Designs for [i]kadomatsu[/i] vary depending on region but are typically made of [[pine_tree|pine]], [[bamboo]], and sometimes ume tree sprigs which represent longevity, prosperity and steadfastness, respectively.

h4. See also

* [[nebikimatsu]]
* [[shimekazari]]

h4. External links

* "[i]Wikipedia[/i] article":https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kadomatsu
🎍 門松