Discover Wellness

January 3, 2024

Happy New Year

Welcome 2024

“For last year's words belong to last year's language. And next year's words await another voice.” - T.S. Eliot

What are your Christmas traditions? How about New Year traditions? 

In Japan, New Year is the biggest holiday. We have several traditions, and some traditions vary based on the regions. 

Deep Cleaning 

In Japan, we believe the new year must begin on a clean slate. We start getting rid of old things in late December and start with new things on New Year.

New Year Decorations

There are certain decorations we do for each room in the house to keep away bad spirits. Also, we make the particular decoration with bamboo outside of the house (Kadomatsu). We start decorating after December 13 and need to be placed by December 30. These decorations stays until January 7th or 15th (depending on the regions) and being burned for good luck.

Toshikoshi Soba (New Year's Eve buckwheat noodles)

We eat buckwheat noodles (soba) on New Year's eve (toshikoshi) believing that eating long and thin doodles will help us live a long and healthy life.  

Hatsumode (First visit to a shrine or temple)

We welcome in the new year by praying and wishing for prosperity, safety and good health by visiting a shrine or temple, known as "Hatsumode". It means visiting a shrine or temple for the first time in a year.

Osechi Ryori (New Year food)

Osechi is traditional New Year's food. We eat Osechi food for the first three days of a new year, wishing everyone's health and happiness throughout a year. Each food represents something. For example, we eat burdock root because it has root systems that spread long distances. For this reason, we believe family and business take root strongly to be successful and happy. Almost all foods have meaning, and I can't list them all.

There are a lot more New Year traditions in Japan. Please let me know if you would like to more about it.

By Yu

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