Ah, New Year! It’s the best time to gather and celebrate all around the world. Japan values the importance of New Year or shōgatsu (正月 / しょうがつ) as much as other countries do.
In fact, Japanese new year celebrations are rich in tradition and festivities!
Families and individuals begin their preparations as early as December, right after Christmas ends. They clean, put up decorations, send out postcards, and gather before New Year’s Eve or ōmisoka (大晦日 / おおみそか).
Come ganjitsu (元日 / がんじつ) or New Year’s Day, people watch the first sunrise, visit shrines and temples, and eat good food together.
That’s only the gist of it! There’s so much more to Japanese new year traditions, decorations, and food.
Let’s explore these topics one by one:
How is New Year celebrated in Japan?
As the most important holiday in Japan, New Year is a time for families to gather. Because of that, all decorations, food, etc., must be ready before December 31st.
Nobody is expected to work or be stressed, because the new year must be welcomed in with happiness and relaxation.
Preparing for shōgatsu
Japanese households undertake a major spring cleaning or oosouji (大掃除 / おおそうじ). This end-of-the-year house cleaning is done in preparation to welcome the gods who will bless each household for the new year. This is also symbolic of the holiday being a ‘fresh start’ or ‘clean slate’.
Be mindful of the time, because procrastinating on cleaning is considered rude to the gods!
The god of grains, Toshigami, is the most celebrated god around this time. In the past, the Japanese prayed to him in order to have a good harvest for the rest of the year. That hasn’t changed much today, as Toshigami is said to bring