もういくつ寝ると、お正月。

The New Year’s day will come soon so today’s topic is Nenmatsu-Nenshi!

New Year’s Day

New year is the biggest celebration in Japan.  We eat traditional food which is called Osechi on the new year’s day and people sent and receive Nenga-jo (年賀状) for the day. And only kids can get Otoshi-dama.(お年玉: money given as a gift at the New year)

New Year’s Eve

On the New Year’s eve, also we have very important tradition which we must do. It is O-soji. Soji basically means ‘cleaning up something’ or ‘tidying up something’ and O- is a word for describing large-scale or emphasising how they are big or how their scale is large. Yes we have to clean up whole the house from bottom to the top. O-soji has been being doing by Japanese people from Heian period (more than 1000years ago) for purifying of bad fortune, for this reason people still do it on the New Year’s eve to have a good new year and being clear themselves. After that finally people can be relaxed. Normally, lots of people spend time watching TV. During the New Year’s eve and the New Year’s day you can watch loads of special TV program for the celebration. In the meantime, the time to eat Toshikoshi-soba will come. This is also very Japanese traditional thing for the New Year’s eve. Toshikoshi means seeing the old year out and Soba means Japanese noodle so we have Soba in the night on the New Year’s eve till the New Year’s day will come. Then we go to temple or shrine for Hatsu-mode. (初詣: to pray to god for having a good year) These are traditional Japanese New Year’s day activities. 

Happy christmas and Happy New Year!!