I wrote about Christmas in Japan last time, but for most Japanese this is only a relatively small event. Shogatsu, the celebration of the new year, is something they have been waiting for with much anticipation.

The first thing most Japanese do on new year’s day is to go to a shrine and pray about something they want. Most pray about their safety and wealth. If you are a student and the entrance exam is upcoming, then without a doubt you will pray about it! For some greedy people praying at one shrine is not enough, so they call in some others. Therefore many popular shrines are really packed on the day of a new year. ‘Meiji-jingu’ in Tokyo and ‘Naritasan’ in Chiba are some of the most famous ones.

You can also have a variety of Japanese cuisine. ‘Osechi’, ‘Oshiruko’ and ‘mochi’ are popular. ‘Osechi’ contains many kinds of food such as black soybeans, chestnuts with sweet potatos and so forth. It’s not only good to taste but also it is beautiful. ‘Oshiruko’ is a small beans based soup with ‘mochi’. ‘Mochi’ is made out of glutinous rice and I like this best among new year foods. These dishes are normally taken only in the new year holiday period. So you should not miss it.

The people who really love the new year are children. Because of some good food? No way! The answer is money. During this period, they may receive ‘otoshidama’ from their parents and some relatives. ‘Otoshidama’ is a gift of money from them. When I was a child, I enjoyed visiting my grandfather’s house and dropping by some other relatives’ especially in this period. But as for parents, they also have to give ‘otoshidama’ to their children, nephews and nieces. Actually it’s a hard time for adults! And I am one now!

Have a happy new year!