Akemashite omedeto gozaimasu Unlike other countries, Japan celebrates the New Year for three days and all businesses close! New Year's celebration in Japan centers around the belief that at the end of the year Toshigami [god of the new year] visits every house, bringing blessings to them. Shimekazari [sacred straw festoons] are hung above the front door to mark the temporary abode of the Toshigami and to keep evil spirits away. Do you see little rat? 2008 is the year of the rat, so he becomes part of this traditional New Year ornament. The sacred straw rope you see is braided from rice straw and looped. [See the ones that Osawa School children created] Other decorations are symbols of good luck, good health, and a long life. Other New Year traditions include sending postcards. The post office will keep them and deliver all in one big pile. Sometimes a person may have hundreds of postcards delivered to them for New Years. The Boston Museum of Fine Arts has a collection of many Japanese postcards, including ones for New Year's. Photo: Yasue Hukusima, Ohsawa school Citation: |
