Most Japanese feels New Year (OSHOUGATSU)
is important more than Christmas
.I'm the one.
Though it's busy
to prepare for New Year (OSHOUGATSU), my feeling become tense.For example (TATOEBA), huge housecleaning(OOSOUJI)
.Japanese clean up house (IE)
or office (KAISHA)
in the depth of winter
.Originally (SOMO SOMO), the New Year event is for welcome the god (KAMI SAMA)
.So, we purify (KIYOMERU) our town (MACHI), house (IE)
, and myself (JIBUNJISIN).When finished the clean up, we decorate (KAZARI TSUKE) and offer (OSONAE) for god.
KAGAMIMOCHI
It's in the middle, and piled up the white rice cake (OMOCHI)
.
On the top, put a DAIDAI (bitter orange) or orange(MIKAN).
Under the KAGAMIMOCHI lay URAJIRO (kind of fern)
.
Every ornaments have the meaning.
SHIMENAWA
Hang it on the front door (GENKAN NO DOA).
In area of Japan, the form of SHIMENAWA is different
.
See closely...
The gold bird
is a crane (TSURU).
The green wisp is pine's leaf (MATSU NO HA).
The red bud is a flower of Japanese apricot (UME NO HANA).
The downside, there are ears of rice (INAHO).
Everything is lucky stuff
.
(ENGI NO YOI MONO!!)
Thus (KOUYATTE), Japasene New Year (OSHOUGATSU) express our gratitude (KANSHA)
.
To water (MIZU), woods (KI), wind (KAZE), the sun (OHISAMA) and all nature glory (SIZENNKAI NO MEGUMI).
People clean the house noisily
TO IE WO SOUJI SHIMASU.)And finish all of the shopping for the New Year Holidays (OSHOUGATSU),
until Dec.31st.
Very busy!! (TOTTEMO ISOGASHII DESU.)It becomes quiet suddenly in the morning of 1st day of the year.
People straighten their posture. (HITOBITO HA, MI WO TADASHI MASU.)
The entire Japan is encompassed by silence. (TOTTEMO SHIZUKA DESU.)
The tension might reflect strangely to overseas people.
But I love this tension so much. (WATASHI HA DAISUKI DESU.)
SATE (By the way), the preparations for New Year holidays
were done.So I went for a walk (OSANPO NI ITTEKIMASHITA.) with my family
to the lake nearby.
Because Hamamatsu is a warm place (ATATAKAI TOKORO DESU) in Japan,
so the snow
does not fall.One fine winter day
is just good for a walk
.
There is OJIZOU SAMA (guardian deity of children) on the roadside.It is CHIISANA OJIZOU SAMA (small guardian deity of children) of approximately one foot in height. I wonder if some child imitated the offering (OSONAEMONO) and put somepebbles in front of it
TSUBAKI NO HANA GA MANKAI DESU.
(The camellia flower is full-bloomed.)
There seems to be a person who enjoys leafingmore than the camellia flower, too.
"TSUBAKI (The camellia)" is named by "TSUYAHA NO KI (the tree of shined
The leaf is lighted up by the sun
Isn't it beautiful?
For New Year holidays (OSHOUGATSU HA), I return to my parents house (We say JIKKA.) where families gather.I really thank people in the world who I was able to come across with this blog this year.
RAINEN MO, HEIWA DE ARIMASUYOUNI.
(I really hope that the next year will be the peaceful year.)
HAMAMATSU YORI AI WO KOMETE.
(With love from Hamamatsu.)
Japanese Goods eBay Auction
こんにちは！今年のクリスマス、私は何もしませんでした。ただ、家でテレビを見るだけです。でも、私はクリスマスより、お正月のほうがもっと好きですよ。家族の皆も大掃除をしますよ。ちなみに、yattermanの映画の主役は嵐の桜井翔ですか？（＾。＾）お正月を楽しみます！
I love your page, all the photos were outstanding
so desu ka. i am surprise with the attitude of my husband towards christmass day ): does japanese really not so excited with christmass, another thing is that my husband want me to prepare new years menu preparation is he ok?(:
how nice when the family gather together in new year.....
I like the Japanese Traditions for celebrating the New Year! They are very special! Thank you for this wonderful post!
I like the SHIMENAWA. All her elements are interesting!
May I ask, do you have in Japan some special type of food that you cook for the New Year?
Thank you very much!
I wish you a great, happy and peaceful NEW YEAR! ^^
Good story and nice introduction to Japanese culture..Thank you.
Wish you/your family a happy 2009 and many good years ahead.
Misa
Hello, yes you are right Christmas is a religious holiday and it is important for Christians, we celebrate the birth of Jesus our Saviour. Now we prepare for welcome the New Year as well. I wish you and to your beloved ones a Happy New Year, good health, prosperity and all your dreams come true.
I enjoy your posts, I discover another culture, thank you.
It sounds so very different from New Year's celebrations over here.
I hope to one day be able to experience a New Year in Japan for myself.
Best wishes to you and your family for 2009!! I look forward to reading more next year.
Wow.. that's right-- I didn't realize that there wouldn't be snow in Hamamatsu! I now live in Utah (I used to live in Kentucky), and Utah gets a good amount of snow. .. Usually!
It looks beautiful at this time of year. I really like the decoration for the door.
I went to an art exhibit here in my town, which displayed Japanese 名所絵 art from many artists. While I was looking at the various paintings, I found one by Andō Hiroshige (安藤広重) in his collection called "The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō" (Hoeido Tokaido, by some sources). It was called... "Hamamatsu"! I was surprised to have recognized the name of the place!
This is the picture:
http://www.theartofjapan.com/ArtDetail.asp?Size=med&Inv=07061095
It was made in 1833/1834 (western date, of course), so Hamamatsu was probably much smaller at that time!
Anyway, it made me think of Winter time in Hamamatsu, and so I had to check your blog to see if you wrote about winter time and the holidays :) And sure enough-- you did!
Thank you for writing so consistently! Have a good New Year!
i love your blog and i'm looking forward to see more of japan. :)
hi there..how are you mikosan..I've read your blog and it is very interesting. I really enjoyed it. I've been to Yokohama for a couple of years and I do love the Japanese culture, the places, foods and of course the people whom I've met in my kaisha and my neighbors too.Hope to read more interesting topics from you. More power.
Kristijan to moshimasu. Hajimete o-me ni kakarimasu? I come from Croatia.
http://www.map-of-croatia.co.uk/maps/Large-map-of-croatia-600.gif
My city is Poreč. (N-W seaside)
I am very interested in such conversation (like this blog).
Jiaxuan san,
ヤッターマン好きですか？
私は大好きです。
Tipper san,
Thank you for your comment.
DOUMO ARIGATOU.
ruby yamada san,
Thank you.
Ana Gulica san,
Thank you so much.
I wish the same to you too.
About the food.
Please read the next one.
Misa san,
Thank you so much.
I wish the same to you too.
Lotus san,
Thank you very much.
God bless you.
Jaydon san,
Thank you for your comment.
DOUMO ARIGATOU.
I wish the same to you too.
Tim san,
Thank you Tim san.
I like the genkan decoration too.
I like OSHOGATSU.
Anonymous san,
Thank you.
DOUMO ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU.
amie san,
Thank you for your comment.
DOUMO ARIGATOU.
I like YOKOHAMA too.
I like the chinatown there.
Blažević Kristijan ,
Thank you for your comment.
DOUMO ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU.
MATA MINI KITE KUDASAINE.