iN HAMAMATSU.COM | Culture | New Year's Eve and the New Year in Japan

"The New Year (Shougatsu)" is another name for January, and to show respect, the polite "o" can be attached to make "Oshougatsu."Currently, January 1st to January 3rd is called "San ga Nichi," up until January 7th is called "Matsu no Uchi," and this entire period is called "Oshougatsu."
Once a year during the New Year, special gods called "Toshigami" are welcomed.Many people spend the New Year with their families, and there are many events on New Year's Eve and during the New Year.

Before welcoming the Toshigami, the dust that has gathered throughout the past year is cleaned, and household Shinto shrines and Buddhist altars are cleaned as well.

Kadomatsu (pine decorations) are used as landmarks to keep the Toshigami from getting lost, and shimekazari (Shinto rope with festoons) are hung to help the Toshigami and show that the area has been cleansed. Both are set up at entrances.

On New Year's Eve (December 31st) it is customary to eat soba, which also has a certain significance attached to it.It has the meaning of wishing to have a fine, long life, like the soba. Generally many people eat it on New Year's Eve or right before for dinner.

On New Year's Eve (Joya), December 31st, at midnight, the temple bells (kane) are rung 108 times.It is said that humans have 108 earthly desires, so this is done to cleanse the spirit.

The sunrise on January 1st. It is said that the Toshigami appear together with the sunrise, because it is such an amazing sight, and so it has become customary to go see the first sunrise of the year.

Hatsumoude is visiting shrines or a temple at the very beginning of the year for the first time to pray for peace and safety during the new year, and to give thanks for the year.In the area, sweet sake and sacred sake are given out, as drinking them is believed to ward off evil, and there are floats that go around too.It is normal to visit shrines as soon as the year begins at midnight up until January 7th.

Greeting cards sent to each other for the New Year.
In ancient Japan, during the New Year it was customary to perform "New Year's calls" and visit people that had helped you.But when people were too far away, cards started being sent as greetings instead, which led to the current custom of sending New Year's cards.Every year, post offices sell special postcards for the New Year which many people use.

Osechi ryouri is special food eaten during the New Year that has an auspicious meaning attached to it, and comes in stacked boxes.Formerly there used to be five layers, but now families are smaller, so two or three are more common.The food in them used to have various meanings attached to them, but now western food is also eaten and there is a lot of variation.Using fire is avoided during the first three days of the New Year to welcome the Toshigami, and during these first three days the housewife does not have to do housework, food that keeps well is prepared on New Year's Eve, and then during the first three days of the New Year people can enjoy eating it.

Zouni is a soup using mochi offered to the Toshigami, and is eaten during the New Year.The flavor and ingredients vary depending on the region. In most of the Kanto region, square mochi is used along with soy sauce, but in the Kansai region it is common to use circular mochi along with miso.

Money given out as a gift for the New Year. It can be from parents to children, older people to younger people, children to parents, etc..The money is given in small envelopes known as pochibukuro.To children it is the most exciting event of the year.