New Year's Day is said to be the oldest of all Japanese events. It can also be said to be the most cherished culture among all Japanese events and customs.
The character "正" in "New Year" contains the meaning of the beginning of the year and changing the year. In the past, New Year was known as the "month of correction," and the whole month of January was called "New Year."
It takes half a month from the beginning of the New Year to clean and tidy up the house, and prepare decorations, a shrine for the New Year's deity, and offerings. Then, it becomes an important day for the family to welcome and celebrate the new New Year's deity together.
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1. First sunrise of the year
In Japan, where worship of the sun has been strong since ancient times, the first sunrise has long been viewed as something special.
It is believed that the God of the Year will appear at the same time as the first sunrise, and by watching the first sunrise, when the God of the Year, who brings abundance, appears, it is possible to welcome the God of the Year early and pray for happiness and a good harvest for the year.
It is also said that seeing the sunrise brings various benefits. The higher the mountain, the earlier you can see the sunrise, so it is said to be a blessing, and so seeing the sunrise on Mount Fuji is very popular.
Year God
Toshigamisama is a god who protects and governs the household for the year. Depending on the region, he is called by various names such as Toshitokujin, Tondosan, Ehojin, and Oshogatsusama. New Year's Day is a cultural day to welcome Toshigamisama during the first three days of the year.
2. New Year's visit to a shrine
Hatsumode refers to the first visit of the year to a shrine or temple to pray for happiness in the new year. It is also called "Hatsumairi."
This involves staying at a shrine where the local deity resides from the evening of New Year's Eve until the morning of New Year's Day, and praying all night long for a good harvest and safety in the new year. Over time, this "Toshikomori" is said to have split into "Joya Mairi," a visit on New Year's Eve, and "Gannichi Mairi," a visit on New Year's Day.
What is the correct way to visit a shrine for the first time in the new year?
If you don't have the opportunity to visit shrines or temples on a regular basis, you may forget the correct rules and procedures for praying. Let's go over them once again.
①: Stop in front of the torii gate and bow. ②: Cleanse your hands and mouth at the temizuya (purification fountain). ③: Offer an old talisman or prayer. ④: Pray at the main hall.
<Procedure for worship>
1. Prepare your posture and appearance before the altar
2. Gently place your offering in the offering box
3. Ring the bell
4. Bow deeply twice in a row
5. Place your hands together in front of your chest and clap twice in a row.
6. Pray with hands together
5. Bow again when you leave the temple grounds.
What time should you go for your first shrine visit of the year?
Many people usually go on New Year's visits during the first three days of the year, but it would be better to go on the seventh day of Matsunouchi or the 15th day of Ko-Shogatsu. Since it's the beginning of the year, you want to do it by the end of January at the latest.
3. New Year's gift
It is said that otoshidama began when the head of the household distributed kagami mochi, which was offered to welcome the New Year's deity (Toshigami), to his children on New Year's Day. The mochi ball in which the deity's "soul" resided was called "otoshidama," which is where the word "otoshidama" originated. Since ancient times, people have given not only mochi but also gifts and money, and these New Year gifts came to be called "otoshidama."
It was around the time of high economic growth in the late 1950s that money became the mainstream form of "otoshidama."
Otoshidama are given from the head of the household to the family, from the master to the servants, from the master to the apprentices, and so on, so it gradually became the custom of giving them to children.
4. First Dream
The dream you have between the night of January 1st and the morning of the 2nd is considered the "hatsuyume," but I would like you to think of it as referring to the first three days of the New Year.
It is said that the auspicious things to see in your first dream of the year are " One Fuji, two hawks, three eggplants ."
The phrase is a play on the words Fuji means "safe," hawk means "high," and eggplant means "to achieve." The phrase continues with " Four fans, five tobacco, six zatō," with fans meaning "to spread," tobacco meaning "the way the smoke rises brings good luck," and zatō meaning "to be free from injury."
Not everyone dreams all the time, so there's no need to be disappointed if the dream you had didn't include "First Fuji, second a hawk, third eggplant." It seems that some dreams that at first glance seem ominous actually predict good fortune. Here are some dreams that are considered to be auspicious.
Auspicious dreams
1. Dreams in which sunlight is prominent <br data-mce-fragment="1">Dreams in which sunlight is prominent suggest that good fortune will come. The sun represents the vitality and energy that is the source of all life.
2. Dreams in which fresh blood is prominent <br data-mce-fragment="1">Dreams in which fresh blood is prominent are said to suggest that your luck will be at its best. It represents a turn for the better in a difficult situation or the arrival of an opportunity, and is said to be auspicious and bring great good fortune.
3. Dreams about dying or being killed <br data-mce-fragment="1">Although it may seem like a nightmare at first glance, death means rebirth. Therefore, it means that the current situation will improve and big changes will come to yourself and those around you.
4. Dreams in which a rainbow is prominent <br data-mce-fragment="1">Dreams in which a rainbow is prominent are said to bring good luck, such as success in business or romantic fulfillment. If the rainbow is a beautiful seven-color rainbow, it is said that all your worries will be resolved in one go.
5. New Year's Calligraphy
Kakizome is an annual Japanese New Year event where people write letters and pictures at the beginning of the year. They often write down their aspirations and prayers for the new year, and in addition to words expressing goals and efforts, it is customary to write four-character idioms wishing for health and happiness. Generally, Kakizome takes place on January 2nd.
6. Legends of the New Year and the first three days of the year
The three days from New Year's Day are called the 3 days of the New Year. These three days are the time to welcome the New Year God into our homes. That is why there are certain taboos that have been passed down since ancient times that should not be done during these three days in order to avoid being disrespectful to the God.
1. Don’t clean.
During the New Year, it is said that the god of the New Year visits the house bringing good fortune, so cleaning should be avoided in order to avoid sweeping away the good fortune. Make sure to give your home a thorough end-of-year cleaning before New Year's Eve.
2. Don't do any wet chores.
Cleaning the kitchen, bathroom, and toilet, and doing laundry and other water-related work should also be avoided, as this would involve washing away the New Year's deity.
3. Don’t use knives
It is also considered taboo to use knives during the New Year holidays. There are several theories about this. "If you don't use knives during the first three days of the New Year, you will be safe and healthy throughout the year," "Cutting with a knife is associated with severing ties," "You should let your knife rest during the first three days of the New Year," and so on.
4. Don’t cook it.
It is believed that the hearth is home to the god of fire, Koujin-sama. During the first three days of the New Year, people should refrain from cooking using fire, so that the god can rest. It is also said that the scum that comes out when cooking is bad luck, as it brings about evil.
5. Don't eat meat from four-legged animals
A quadruped is an animal that walks on four legs, such as a pig, cow, or horse.
Osechi cuisine was originally an offering to the New Year deity, and because of the Buddhist teaching that prohibits killing, offerings to gods and Buddhas exclude meat from four-legged animals such as pork, beef, and horse.
6. Don’t fight
New Year's Day is also a day when families gather together, and when many people gather, arguments can break out. However, since ancient times, there has been a belief that arguing "plants bad luck," so it is considered inappropriate to fight on the day of the new year.
7. Shopping - Don't spend too much money
The saying goes, "Your plans for the year should be made on New Year's Day," which means it is important to make your plans for the year on New Year's Day. New Year's Day is a day to seriously think about what you need to do and your goals for the year, and to look ahead. There is also a saying that if you spend too much money, you won't be able to save any money for the year.
The legend of the three days of the New Year is that in addition to "not being disrespectful to the God of the Year," there is also the idea of giving the "God of Fire" and the "God of Water" a rest day. And don't you think that this is very considerate of housewives? That's because in Japan, we call women (wives) "kami-san." It is often said that there is no rest for housework 365 days a year, but the three days of the New Year are a time of appreciation, and it means that you should treat your wife like a god in the home and refrain from housework.
New Year's customs: A glimpse into the origins of Japanese culture and lifestyle that we have inherited since ancient times
Because we have less and less exposure to Japanese culture in our daily lives, I think there are things we can rediscover and appreciate.
Let's welcome the New Year with enjoyment and a positive attitude, keeping in mind our own resolutions for the year and themes for each family and household.
▼For more information on "Going Through the Seasons - New Year's Foods," click here
