SECOND! I have never written a post about oshogatsu (お正月) or hatsumode (初詣). Which is really weird, because it's kind of a big deal around this time of year. I've participated in this tradition for as long as I can remember! (This is me in front of the shrine on Rivers St. in Honolulu, called Izumo Taisha Mission (出雲大社) making my first visit for the year!)
While almost anyone that is Japanese would have at least a faint inkling of what I'm talking about, New Years (we call it shogatsu) is a really big deal. Hatsumode is the first temple visit of the year, which you're supposed to do at midnight but any time during the first day of the year is acceptable.
But let's back it up! New Years traditions are pretty Shinto centered; that is, the things we do aren't really associated with Buddhism, like most people think. My family doesn't do any Buddhist rituals, like the New Years Eve visit to the temple, we just stick to the jinja (神社) or Shinto shrine.
There are a few in Hawaii but this one is my favorite. The wait is always really long on the first day of the year, but it's always worth it! First you go in, wash your hands and your mouth at the washing area. Then when you get to the top of the steps, you make your donation, ring the bell as loud as possible, bow twice, clap twice, make a wish/prayer/whateva! and then bow again! Then the priest says a little chant and you're off on your merry way!
Then you buy your good luck charms. While I'm sure that my year was filled with a mix of good and bad luck, I can honestly say that the years I wore around my omamori (御守) or charm have been far better than the years I didn't go out and get one! This year I got one for myself, the purple one, and one for Dan. I haven't decided where to attach mine, can't get it onto my cell phone so I might have to put it on my wallet.
In addition to the New Years shrine visit, there's just tons of eating. Osechi ryori (お節料理) is the traditional meal. My mom makes a super simple version of it, mostly because she doesn't know how to make a lot of the things and because we can't ever seem to finish it all in time. Traditionally, you eat osechi for about two to three days-- eating the same thing three times a day for two to three days can get a bit boring, so I don't really blame her.
So she makes chikuzen ni (or nishime, as many in Hawaii call it), which is like a root and vegetable stew. Then there's kuri kinton, which is sweet potatos and sweet chestnuts, and it's gold in color so it's supposed to bring you fortune! Then there's kazunoko, which is a salted herring roe, which is supposed to make you more fertile. Kuromame, which are black sweet soy beans, which are for good health. Then there's nishiki tamago, which is just a sweet egg dish. She usually makes tazukuri, which are sweet sardines and are supposed to symbolize great harvest, and konbu, which is just a hard seaweed that's supposed to symbolize joy. I think she just opted to not do those this year.
In addition! There is ozoni. Which everyone knows/loves. Most people in Hawaii call it mochi soup. Depending on what part of Japan your family originates alters the taste of the soup. Eastern Japanese use a clear broth, like my mom does, which is made with chicken and usually simple vegetables, like mizuna, komatsuna, or shiitake. Western Japanese use miso, which I think is where most people in Hawaii are from because they usually talk about it tasting like a fancy miso soup.
Also, and I know this order of food is a little backwards, but the day BEFORE the new year you eat toshikoshi soba! It literally means end the old and begin the new soba. But basically it's symbolism is that the next year will be filled with luck and strength and bring long life!
THIRD: Another New Years tradition is to watch Kohaku or the Red and White Song Festival. It's this long television special that happens on New Year Eve, and basically the top singers for that year are invited to compete in teams. It's usually men vs women, and I think the audience and some judges vote. But basically it's just a super long television program where people perform in crazy outfits. This year Lady Gaga got invited, which I think is weird, because not too often do people from other cultures get invited, but whatever.
Anyway, this post ended up being a lot longer than I had intended but I'm sure it's incredibly informative for those of you that are a little more curious about Japanese New Years culture!
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