JAPANESE CULTURE AND TRADITIONS
Japanese New Year — Gods, Symbolic Foods, and TV Extravaganzas
Old and new ways to ring in the New Year
After first arriving in Japan in 1987, I quickly learned to stock up for the first three days of the New Year since all stores would be shuttered while their owners and employees spent time with their families.
Times have changed. Today most stores remain open during the holidays and 24-hour convenience stores abound.
While modern times have brought welcome changes, perhaps along the way some of the understanding of the holiday customs has been lost, cast aside amid the hubbub of TV specials and New Year’s Sales.
To understand Japan’s New Year, we need to return to the holiday’s roots, which date as far back as the 1st century. In those days, the ancient people celebrated in three main ways.
- Welcoming the Toshi-kami, the god of the new year.
- Praying for bountiful harvests in the coming year.
- Expressing gratitude for another year of life.
These practices are reflected in today’s New Year’s traditions, and each of the holiday’s countless customs is imbued with meaning.
