Lesson 9
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New Year
Background Information
New Year in Japan is celebrated on January 1st. It is an important celebration and one
where whole families gather together. Preparations for New Year begin long before
the actual day and people display traditional decorations in their homes (see notes
further on). On New Year’s Eve, noodle dishes are eaten, again in the hope you will
be blessed with a long life (because noodles are long).
New Year Decorations
Soba noodles, a common dish on New Year's Eve
At midnight, many families will go to their local shrine or temple to listen to the large temple bell being struck 108 times (to get rid of the 108 sins which are on earth). You can try a virtual temple bell: http://www.jodo.or.jp/joya/
Lucky charms may be bought from the shrines, such as an arrow, and this will bring good luck throughout the year. Last year’s charms are then burned in a special bonfire at the temple or shrine to remove the threat of illness and bad luck.
Ema
People may also write an ‘ema’ or a wish board to wish for
something good to occur during the coming months. These
boards can be purchased at shrines and are displayed
all together. The boards will often have a horse drawing
on one side, dedicated to the gods or, at New Year, the
animal for the coming year.
Osechi Ryori
On New Year’s Day, special food called osechi ryori is eaten which contains many
bean and fish dishes. It is prepared in advance, so no-one has to work on New Year’s
day. Osechi ryori is normally arranged in beautiful lacquer boxes and some of the food
inside is symbolic as a wish for the family’s health and prosperity over the coming year.
Rice cakes in a special soup called ozoni is also a popular dish to eat over New Year.
Nengajo
New Year’s cards, or nengajo are sent to family and friends,
much in the same way you may send Christmas cards. All
post office bought cards contain a unique number and there
is a lottery held shortly after New Year with various prizes
available. Post Office cards and many others are usually
bought blank. It is a tradition for families to decorate and
print their own cards. These days you can buy cards with designs already on them,
but they are less popular. The card design will usually contain a picture of the Chinese
zodiac animal for the forthcoming year. All cards are collected by the post office and
then all delivered at the same time on New Year’s Day (even though it’s a holiday).
Otoshidama
Children also receive money at New Year from their families.
The gift is called otoshidama and is presented in ornate
envelopes (often with a popular cartoon character on the front
or the Chinese zodiac animal of the year to come). These
envelopes are very popular with children and they can’t wait
to receive them!
New Year Decorations
Here is a list of some of the more common decorations you can expect to see in a
Japanese house.
Kadomatsu
Perhaps the most symbolic of the New Year
decorations, kadomatsu are usually set up on either
or both sides of the front entrance of a house. They
are generally comprised of pine boughs, 3 bamboo
stalks and plum tree sprigs. The three bamboo poles
are all a slightly different size and are cut diagonally.
The pine and plum tree sprigs are set in the centre
and the base of the decoration is tied together with
straw ropes.
The decorations are left outside the home in an attempt to welcome long life, good fortune and prosperity into the household. Pine trees are traditionally associated with longevity, because they themselves tend to grow tall and strong and live a long time. Bamboo is thought of as a symbol of prosperity and flexibility with strength and plum trees, the first to flower in spring, are often linked to good fortune and strength through adversity.
Shimenawa
Shimenawa, or sacred straw ropes can be seen
throughout the year at shrines. They are always
hung before Shinto shrines and around places
considered sacred. According to Shinto beliefs, evil
cannot pass beyond a shimenawa line. Plaited from
rice straw in a left-handed twist, which represents
the positive aspect of nature and existence, most
have decidedly larger ends which taper. The
biggest end should be placed to the left side of the
shrine or sacred spot.
The origin of shimenawa dates to the time of the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu. It seems that family problems caused the Sun Goddess to hide in a deep cave. She was finally forced from her hiding place and to prevent her returning, Prince Futodama placed a rope across the entrance, called ‘shirikunmi-no- nawa’. This term was later shortened to shimenawa.
Japanese people welcoming in the New Year make special types of shimenawa for their homes. Wanawa or circle ropes used at New Year are a modern interpretation of traditional shimenawa. They are often unadorned or perhaps hung with only a few simple paper decorations and strands of unplaited straw.
Daruma
Daruma dolls are another popular New Year’s
decoration. These dolls are rounded and vary in
size. They are modelled on the 6th Century Buddhist
priest called Bodhidharma who is said to have lost
the use of his arms and legs after meditating for
nine years. Nowadays it is customary to buy your
new Daruma doll just before New Year. It is bought
with no eyes, but the doll’s left pupil should be
coloured in after purchase and a wish made. If the
wish comes true before the end of the year, then
the other eye can be coloured in.
Kagamimochi
Kagamimochi are edible decorations! They are usually
made from two round rice cakes stacked on top of one
another. The bottom cake is the larger of the two and a
small orange is then usually placed on top. The whole
decoration is then set on a stand called a sampo and is
seen as an offering to the New Year Gods. It is displayed
from New Year until January 11th, when it will be taken
down and eaten. With more formal decorations, other
good luck symbols such as kelp, dried persimmon and
lobster are used to decorate the kagamimochi.
Visit the Japan Society New Year’s Page for further lesson resources and activity ideas: https://www.japansociety.org.uk/resource?resource=11