My New Year in Japan

New year in Japan (Oshogatsu)

In Japan, you can observe many people spend their Japanese New Year (お正月) with traditional customs. The end of December people is getting busy to make sure that all the new year greeting cards (年賀状) are prepared so that friends and relatives can get it on time. Also, people do a clean up for their house in and out. On the 31st which is a very important day, people do not usually stay up late for the countdown, but Japanese eat soba (年越しそば) for dinner to wish for long life and luck. Nowadays, there are TV shows like Year-end Song Festival (紅白歌合戦), Johnny's Count Down Live (ジャニコン), comedian show (ダウンタウンのガキの使い) and so on. Thus, younger generations stay up late to countdown.

   In the tradition of Japanese religion, Shinto (神道), people go to shrines or temple to for the first shrine visit/first pray of the year (初詣) during the new year (1/1~1/7). People actually line up at midnight in front of the shrine to pray and drink hot Amasake (甘酒). Many big famous shrines and temples in the Tokyo area are packed. A friend of mine actually waited for an hour to pray.

The long queue in the late night for the first shrine visit @ Shinjuku

To avoid the crowd in Tokyo I went to a shrine 1.5hours off Tokyo in Kanagawa Prefecture, Oyamaafuri Shrine (大山阿夫利神社) which is located on the mountain Ooyama. Even Though it was freezing cold up there, there were not that many people and I got to enjoy the view of the Sagami Bay from the mountain. The hike was totally worth it and it is like 100% safer than some hiking trails in Hawai’i. After visiting the shrine I ate a seven-herb rice porridge (七草粥). January 7th is considered a day to sooth the body and eat some healthy food like this rice porridge. Back in the Heian period (794~1185) people already knew this seven kinds of herbs have rich nutrition in minerals that help then get away from getting sick. Every single herb actually has its own meaning and effects.

Oyamaafuri Shrine's stair

Although it is long the view and the fresh air is totally worth it.