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First New Year celebration

　

To celebrate babies celebrating their first New Year, it is customary to decorate boys with "hamayumi" bows, with the hope that they will grow up healthy and strong, and girls with "hagoita" bows to ward off evil spirits and bad luck.

Since ancient times, there have been many events for "exorcising evil spirits" and "warding off misfortune" at the change of seasons such as the New Year and festivals, because it was believed that demons (evil spirits) would come out of the "Kimon" (demon gate) at this time and cause trouble, leading to illness and disasters. Therefore, to ensure that newborn babies would get through this period safely, people began to give Hagoita and Hamayumi bows as "children's charms" on the first New Year.

The first New Year is a culture that prays for growth and happiness.

As a culture that can be enjoyed from birth to adulthood,
May you enjoy the celebration forever.

　

　

　

▼Click here for celebrations for boys celebrating their first New Year▼

Boy's first New Year

  • 1. First New Year and Age in Japanese Counting

    　


    Since ancient times, the first New Year has been treated as special not only because it is the first New Year, but also because it was thought to be the day when a baby first grew older after being born.

     The current common way of counting age is by "full age," but until around 1949, the mainstream way of counting age was by "counting age."

    In the "counted age" system, the day of birth is considered to be "1 year old" and "you get one year older on the day of New Year's Day," so at the time, the first New Year was also considered to be the birthday. The first New Year is the "2nd birthday." This is a way of counting years in which the day of birth is considered to be "1 year old" and age is added each time New Year's Day comes around.

     Currently in Japan, age is generally counted by age at birth, which is considered 0 years old, and by adding 1 year for every birthday thereafter .

    This was because living conditions were not as hygienic as they are today, medical facilities were not adequate, and nutrition was poor, so even if a baby was born safely, it was difficult for it to survive beyond the age of one, let alone reach adulthood.
    For these reasons, it is a cause for great joy to be able to celebrate one's first New Year safely, and in those days, it was a custom, which remains today, to record a person's full age on their memorial tablet when they pass away, as proof that they had lived as long as possible.


    Traditional events such as the Shichi-Go-San festival and longevity celebrations are held based on a person's age according to their "counted age," but nowadays it is often accepted that they can be celebrated based on either their age according to the counted age or their actual age.

  • 2. The origin and history of Hagoita

    Hagoita are displayed during a baby's first New Year as a talisman to pray for good health and healthy growth.

     

    The history of Hagoita is said to have begun during the Muromachi period, when women would play shuttlecock together to celebrate the New Year at the Imperial Court.

    The shuttlecock game, played at the beginning of the year, was not just a game but also had the meaning of "warding off evil spirits" and "warding off misfortune." The sound made while playing the game and the ink that was painted on the face when a feather was dropped were said to be "hated by demons," so by striking the shuttlecock, people prayed for "warding off evil spirits (the feathers) and for good health and good fortune in the year ahead."

    　

    　

    Gradually, within the Imperial Court, the hagoita used in shuttlecock became lucky charms and decorations given to women as gifts to ward off evil spirits and bad luck.

    It was believed that disasters such as famine and illnesses that occur at the turning point of the year were the result of evil spirits (demons), so exorcism rituals and the display of lucky decorations were highly valued.

    Also, in traditional Hagoita, the ball at the tip of the feather is made from the seed of a tree called "Mukuroji". Mukuroji also carries the meaning of "children will not get sick", and the feathers of the Hagoita are shaped like dragonflies.
    Because dragonflies are beneficial insects that eat mosquitoes (which are known to carry disease), it has been believed that if you take flight on New Year's Day, you will not be bitten by mosquitoes even in summer.


    Thus, hagoita came to be recognized as "charms" that bring good health and ensure healthy growth for children, and are displayed as gifts for a newborn baby's first New Year celebrations.

  • 3. Who gives the Hagoita?

    　

    It is common for the hagoita to be given by the mother's family (grandparents) . In recent years, more and more couples do not have betrothal gifts, but in the old days in Japan, it was common for the bride's family to provide a betrothal gift and for the bride's family to prepare a trousseau. For that reason, in addition to the hagoita, most decorations to celebrate a child's growth, such as formal attire for shrine visits, Hina dolls, and carp streamers, were treated as trousseau gifts.

    ◆With the changing times◆

    　

    In recent years, with the trend towards nuclear families and changes in lifestyle, more and more parents are being flexible and not too strict about traditions. In some cases, both families contribute money, in other cases the father prepares the gift, and in other cases the father purchases the gift himself without relying on his parents.

  • 4. When to display and when to put away

    December 13th - January 15th

    (Beginning of the New Year - Little New Year)

    In Japan, December 13th is designated as a miscellaneous festival and is the day to begin preparations to welcome the New Year's deity, the God of the New Year.
    Preparations for the New Year include preparing Kadomatsu and Shimenawa, sweeping away soot, and preparing for the New Year. These also include putting up New Year decorations such as Hagoita and Hamayumi.
    It is common to leave them on display for about a month until Koshogatsu (Little New Year) on January 15th.


    ◆Hagoita to display with Hina dolls◆

    Depending on the region and the household, some homes display hagoita together with Hina dolls.
    In such a case, it is best to put it away for the Little New Year and then put it back up when you put up the Hina dolls.

    Generally, it is considered bad luck to leave seasonal items on display, but since it is a lucky item, it is said that there is no problem with leaving it on display all year round.
    However, if you don't mean to display it all year round, I think it is best to decorate and take it down at specific times.

    The essence of the customs and festivals of each season is based on organizing your life for that season and transitioning into a new one. I hope that you will use each season as an opportunity to take care of your family and yourself, and to reevaluate your lifestyle, while feeling the season and culture of the time.　

  • 5. Until what age should you display your Hagoita?

    There are no specific rules regarding until what age you should display hagoita.

    In the past, they were displayed as "talismans to protect children until they grew up," and it was common to display them until the child reached the age of 15, when they would undergo the "Genpuku" ceremony, which is equivalent to the modern-day "Coming of Age Ceremony."

    Even today, some families keep their dolls up until the age of 15, when they will be given their coming-of-age ceremony, and others keep them up until the age of 18, when they will have their coming-of-age ceremony. Others consider events such as school life and Shichi-Go-San to be turning points in life.

    As there is no set time for how long they should be displayed, they are thought of as "charms for the person's growth", and many people continue to display them even after they come of age or get married. They can also be displayed as lucky charms or seasonal decorations.

New Year's decorations

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