Japan-New+Year

Japan - New Year
New Year, starts off with prayer, Hatsumode, not noise and parties. It is the first visit of the year to a shrine or temple or church. Often the whole family goes together, or a group of friends, or a person may even go alone. It is a three day event, not one night. At the shrine a person can put money in the offering box & say a prayer. They can buy good luck charms or receive a fortune on a tiny paper which can be tied to a tree.

Symbolic Arrangements for the New Year
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. After osoji [cleaning everything to get rid of the old year] is completed, very near the end of the year, kadomatsu [New Year's decorations made up of evergreen tree sprigs and bamboo] are put up at the gates of the houses. Shimekazari [sacred straw festoons] are hung above the front door to mark the temporary abode of the toshigami and to keep evil spirits away.



The shimenawa rope is made by twisting together strands of rice straw. It is believed to keep evil and sickness away, so on New Year's day is also hung over doorways on homes.



The white zigzag paper strips are called gohei. The gohei are used to bless or sanctify. Its usual purpose is to cleanse, bless or exorcise an object that is thought to have negative energy. The shimenawa with its gohei makrs the boundary to something sacred and can be seeb around sacred trees and stones, etc.



In the New Year are Kadomatsu; seen to the left are large ones outside shops. This traditional NewYear's Ikebana consists of ** pine ** (long life), ** bamboo ** (strong, sturdy-prosperity), and ** plum ** ** branches ** (patiently  withstands cold-constancy). Other things may be added, but these three hold the symbolism. Below are Kadomatsu to purchase for the individual home. The three bamboo stalks represent heaven, man, and earth.