A Happy New Year
AKEMASHITE OMEDETOU GOZAIMASU.How was your OSHOUGATSU(New Year holiday)?
I returned to my parents' house.
WATASHI HA JIKKA NI KAETTE IMASHITA.
Relatives(SHINSEKI) gathered and were happy after a long absence(HISASHIBURI).
A photograph(SHASHIN)
is the one I took when I went for HATSUMOUDE (a New Year's visit to a Shinto shrine).
It is a small(CHIISAI) JINJA(Shinto shrine) near my house.(IE
NO CHIKAKU DESU.) The famousShinto shrine(YUUMEINA JINNJA) is full of a large number of people,
but I like JINJA(the Shinto shrine) which rooted in the land
.When I step
in to the 
sanctuary surrounded by grove
of the village shrine in the morning of January 1st.(We say GANTAN OR GANJITSU)
I really feel refreshing.
TOTTEMO SUGASUGASHII KIBUN NI NARIMASU.
WATASHI HA CHOU SHINPURUNA KAGAMIMOCHI WO HAKKEN SHIMASHITA
.(I discovered the super simple round rice cakes),
which someone offered(OSONAE) it to the gods for New Year's time!
I guess there might be someone offering it every year secretly.
SATE(Well), about the round rice cakes(KAGAMIMOCHI),
I will talk more about it next time
.When he or she goes to visit a shrine on New Year's Day(We say HATSUMOUDE),
OSAISEN(the money offering)
is thrown out, and most people do this year's wish. For their KENKOU(good health), KANAIANZEN(well-being of the family), KINUN
(economic fortune), DEAI
(a new boy friend or new girl friend
), and SHIGOTO
(work) and GAKUGYOU
(studies), and so on.Whenever I stand in this place every year, I thank for being here with a family cheerfully in this way.
I don't tell anybody about my wishes(NEGAIGOTO) of HATSUMOUDE(the New Year's visit to a Shinto shrine).
But I'll raise my courage and tell you my wishes.
It is always "
ARIGATOU(Thank you)."
I don't know why.But, the weather at the New Year is fine every year
(OSHOUGATSU HA MAITOSHI II OTENKI DESUNE.)
as feelings at the New Year are bright
. Do not all of you living in Japan think so?
NIHON NO MINASAN SOU OMOI MASENKA?
There are not many rainy(AME)
OSHOUGATSU(New Year holidays). On January 1 of this year, it was fine
weather.KOTOSHI NO GANJITSU HA II OTENKI DESHITA.
Because it was soooooooooo beautiful sky,
I took a photograph.
SHASHIN WO PACHIRI
!!This photograph is now on desktop screen of my PC
. SATE(Well), for two weeks from next time.
I introduce the appearance of New Year holidays of JIKKA(my parents' house)
. It's gonna be fun!!
OTANOSHIMINI!!
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Wow, very beautiful sky!
I'm from Russia and really interested in Japanese culture (in fact, maybe I'm Japanese maniac or just in love with it:))), so thank U for Ur blog)))))
It's quite suddenly, but Wish Your family and U HAPPY NEW YEAR!)))
Thank you for such a lovely web site.This is truly wonderful and having spent a little time in japan about 9 years ago..this is a lovely reminder of the beautiful nature of japanese culture. Thanks for such a lovely, sincere and informative website..
Arigato gozaimashita!
stephen
hello miko san, i like to read your blogs.
it gives me idea of japanese culture and actually i love it...my husband is a japanese but i stay in my homeland since i have fear of racial discrimination..
Hajimemashite! Chiaki desu. Cheko (EU) de sunderu.
Miko-san, thank you very much for wonderful blog! Ganbatte ne!
AKEMASHITE OMEDETOO GOZAIMASU!
If you will go to Czech republic, you can check this homepage: www.geocities.com/jpncz
Soredewa mata!
I miss Japan so much and to you, akimashite omedetou! I love mochi also...I spent my 2008 New Year with okasan in Gifu...we prayed and visited a lot of shrine...and watched Bon Jovi at Nagoya...I love it and I find people in Japan very warm and friendly also. It was a dream of a lifetime stay in the land of the Rising sun!!! I like your blog so much! Hooray!
Alekza san,
Thank you for your comment.
DOUMO ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU.
MATA KITE KUDASAI NE.
stephen san,
DOUITASHIMASHITE.
Please come again.
ruby yamada san,
Thank you for your comment.
I felt the same way when I went to
different country.
Difficult desune.
Chiaki san,
HAJIMEMASHITE.
KOMENTO DOUMO ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU.
TOOI KUNI KARA NO OUEN DOUMO ARIGATOUGOZAIMASU.
MATA ASOBINI KITE KUDASAI.
leonore san,
AKEMASHITE OMEDETOU GOZAIMASU.
Thank you for your comment.
doumo arigatou.
Lucky you did experience Japanese OSHOGATSU.
Good for you.