New Year referred to as Oshogatsu, is an important event for Japanese. We will introduce some interesting customs of New Year’s holiday season in Japan.
The Japanese are busy on the last of December, people do year-end house cleaning to greet the new year. Public transport is crowded due to many people returning to their hometown. Also, Japanese write New Year’s cards, Nengajyo, they are typically designed with the animal symbol of the year, 2020 is a mouse. Some people use pictures of family or their children to see their growth. They are delivered on January 1st. Recently, sending these cards by Email or SNS has increased because of younger generations.
People decorate their house during New Year’s holidays. The New Year’s decorative pine branches, Kadomatsu, are placed on either side of front gate like the above picture. It is believed to invite the New Year’s god, Toshigamisama. Large circular rice cakes, Kagamimochi, like the below picture are offered to the god. After New year holiday season, people eat Kagamimochi to wish for peaceful year. A sacred Shinto rope of rice straw, Shimenawa, is put on the front door like above picture. It considered a barrier to separate a holy place and an unclear place.
