Something magical is in the air and everyone can feel it! ^^
So, how do the Japanese celebrate New Year's Eve?
This last day of the year is called Ōmisoka (大晦日) and is a preparation day to welcome toshigami (年神), the new year's god. It's the second important day of the year for Japanese people (New Year's Day tomorrow is the most important one ^^)!
An important Japanese end-of-year custom is Oosoji which means extensive cleaning. So people clean their home...like we do oosoji at our hostel! ^^ But we're all in great mood! ^^
Around 11:00 pm on Ōmisoka at home, people often gather for one last time in the old year to have a bowl of toshikoshi-soba (年越しそば) or toshikoshi-udon (年越しうどん) together - a tradition based on people's association of eating the long noodles with "crossing over from one year to the next,". So eating this "New Year's Eve Noodles" is very common.
Traditionally, families make Osechi (おせち) for new year day because cooking during the first 3 days of the new year is not a good thing for Kami of kitchens. But nowadays, most of families buy Osechi or cook ordinary dishes.
At midnight, when the New Year begins, in all Buddhist temples over Japan their large cast bell is struck once for each of the 108 earthly desires believed to cause human suffering. This tradition is called joya no kane (除夜の鐘) which means "bell rings on new year eve's night." So at midnight, many people visit a shrine or temple for Hatsumōde (初詣).
Here in Japan it's unusual, to have big fireworks or some big party celebration, so the people celebrate traditional and quiet with their families.
The New Year's celebration is not over after midnight. January, the 1st is a National Holiday and most of the people have off until January the 4th. So post offices and banks, for example, are closed.
For Japanese, as you can see, New Year's Eve is very traditional (for me, it's really complex, to understand all of this traditions) and an absolute really important day for families.
So how do you celebrate New Year's Eve in your home country?
I hope, you will have a great New Year's Eve and of course a great New Year 2012!
All your wishes should come true and all the bad things should be catched far far away in the last year! ^^
So, let's give our best in 2012, right!
Ganbatte! ^^
By: Vanessa (Asakusa)
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