[DEEP JAPAN] Why is New Year the most important day for Japanese people?

[YasumiKikuchi]

Happy new year @iorikun301
Thank you for reading and I'm glad that you are interested in Japan😊. What kind of culture is the New Year in Indonesia?👀

[iorikun301]

I think there's no particular traditions to celebrate New Year here in Indonesia, @YasumiKikuchi.

Some people would spend New Year's eve with friends or family, and they would have a pray, to contemplate about the year passes, and praying for the better next year. Just like me and friends does.

And maybe some people would enjoying watch fireworks. Nothing in particular, I guessed.. :))

[YasumiKikuchi]

Hi @DeniGu Thank you for subscribing😊
Thank you for telling me the wonderful photos of the shrine in Shizuoka and the Bulgarian tradition!😍 I have not visited, but a huge camphor tree seems to be famous🌲. Did you join the festival with bamboo lantern? You are Japanese😆.

I like pastry dish very much! I will search banitsa in Japan😋 I think you will definitely get cars and money this year! Is Tesla good? Or Waymo?🚗 

The folk costume of horo dance is well known in Japan👗 I think that it is a precious culture if it can become a trusting relationship with a stranger in the present age😃

[YasumiKikuchi]

Hi @iorikun301

Thank you for introducing the culture of Indonesia😃 There seems to be a certain prayer as you say🙏

[Ivi_Ge]

Hey @YasumiKikuchi,

As always your posts are amazing! Thank you so much for sharing and explaining in detail the Japanese culture. For me it is a great pleasure to read them!

When I was in Japan (2015/2016) I celebrated New Year Eve with one of mine Japanese friend at his home. It was an unforgettable experience. We prepared all of the dishes like : Toshikoshi soba (年越し蕎麦) (year end soba),  O-sechi ryori (おせち料理) - and as I remember each element of the dishes is intended to invite prosperity, lucky and good health for the year! Of course, after the dinner we went to one temple in Hyōgo Prefecture.

Here are some photos :

Caption: A photo of Japanese traditional New Year Eve's dinner - Osechi ryori. (Local Guide @Ivi_Ge)Caption: A photo of special noodles - soba, prepared for the New Year Eve. (Local Guide @Ivi_Ge)Caption: Special dishes for the New Year celebration. (Local Guide @Ivi_Ge)

[YasumiKikuchi]

Wow! You have a good experience @Ivi_Ge😆

Contemporary Japanese people have few opportunities to eat traditional Osechi ryori🍱. I guess many Japanese envy you in your wonderful photos!😆

As you have explained in detail, "Osechi ryori" is an ultra-high-class bento that stores dishes beforehand without doing housework at the New Year, which is part of faith as a rest for Japanese people🛌. In other words, since the work of God is to help human beings, it means that if human beings work in the New Year, God can not rest👸💦

The meaning of "Toshi Koshi soba" is thin and long noodles, so the wish of living simple (thin) and living long (long) is put in it🍜

[DeniGu]

A Tesla car would be perfect! 😄

It's a pleasant surprise that you know the traditional costume for horo, @YasumiKikuchi! 🙂 

I'll be looking forward to more great posts from you, because I'm learning a lot from them, and I get to experience Japan all over again.

[Jesi]

@YasumiKikuchi Yes, please tag me on on your future articles! I look forward to reading them ☺️

[Jesi]

@KimberlyAnnG there are so many different traditions in the US, thank you for sharing some of them here.

I joined the Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes this NYE, invited by Venezuelans, it is also very common to do that there as most of them have Spanish descent. But instead of the grapes bringing luck, they told me to make a wish as I eat each grape. It's pretty interesting to know how different the meaning of the same tradition in different parts of the world can be.

[TsekoV]

Happy New 2019 Year @YasumiKikuchi,

This is the first time I hear so detailed explanation how Japanese people celebrate the New Year. Honestly speaking I thought that Japanese people celebrate according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar - just as Koreans and many other southeast Asian countries?

Being able to see the birth of a God 歳徳神 and receive its blessings is a unique experience and belief.

As for the Omikuji belief maybe the 大吉 (as Chinese say for a New Year's greeting 大吉大利) is not always the best luck, because except for the luck, we need to be careful and hardworking during the whole year.