Finishing Up the Year Japanese Style

Superstitions and rituals are all part of the tradition

A trip to the nearest shrine is part of the New Year ritual. Pictured here is Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine in Shimane prefecture. [Image: JH]

The New Year’s season in Japan is celebrated with a mix of familiar and unfamiliar customs. Having grown up with Guy Lombardo, Auld Lang Syne, and the crystal ball dropping from New York’s Times Square, one expects a party atmosphere. So in Japan, the countdown to the clock striking midnight is not much different from any other place in the world.

But the pre and post rituals to that midnight revelry are uniquely Japanese. For starters, party hats, glittery streamers, hot flirtations, and hangovers are definitely not part of the celebration. Instead, it’s all house cleaning, food preparation, religious observances, and expressions of gratitude.

Oshōgatsu is Japan’s most important holiday, and it extends from the 1st through the 3rd. Preparations begin in earnest three or four days beforehand. New Year’s Day itself is a day of complete rest. Much like the Jewish Sabbath, no work is permitted on January 1st. And the definition of work is broad: no cooking, no cleaning, no visiting friends. Observing these days of rest is considered to be auspicious; breaking the rules is thought to lead to a year of toil and trouble. Superstitions abound. No one breaks the rules.