Alternatively, you can watch the festivities via Zōjō-ji’s YouTube channel from the comfort of your home. on New Year’s Day, no major crowds are expected. If you’re willing to stay up and visit between the hours of 3 a.m. Both get extremely crowded, so get there early!Īccording to a crowd forecast on Zōjō-ji’s official site, large crowds are expected from 11 p.m. In Tokyo, the temples that are famous for this include: Zōjō-ji near Tokyo Tower and Asakusa’s Sensō-ji. Why 108 times? In Buddhism, 108 is the number of earthly desires that cause humans suffering, and joya no kane is supposed to purify humans’ minds and souls for the year ahead. Joya no kane: Ring out the old yearĪ few minutes before New Year, some temples ring a large bell 108 times as part of a ritual called joya no kane. These tend to be rather expensive however, we’ve got some tips for slightly more affordable osechi sets. Osechi ryōri is pretty labor-intensive, which means many families order sets in advance. Meanwhile, ozoni (a savory soup with mochi), and osechi ryōri (an encompassing term for dishes or food items traditionally eaten during the New Year due to symbolic value) are eaten during New Year.īasic ingredients (noodles, dashi, and soy sauce for toshikoshi soba mochi and dashi for ozoni) aside, ingredients vary across households and regions. Toshikoshi soba (literally “year-crossing” buckwheat noodles), are served hot on New Year’s Eve to symbolize the cutting off of the year’s misfortunes, as well as wishes for good luck and long life. Ushering in good fortune is the rationale behind many Japanese New Year traditions, so it’s not surprising that some dishes are designated as luck-bringing ones. Check their event page (in Japanese) for announcements. Some branches of lifestyle store Tokyu Hands have also held such workshops in past years. There isn’t really a dedicated website for parks to announce schedules of mini-events, so chancing upon one is mostly a matter of luck. If you’re into crafting, some parks occasionally have crafting workshops, in which you can learn to make your own kadomatsu and/or other decorations. Hamaya: Symbolic arrows (that destroys evil spirits), which are usually sold at shrines during the first three days of the New Year.Sensō-ji Temple in Asakusa holds an annual hagoita market every year in December. It’s meant to hit and drive away bad luck. Hagoita: A wooden paddle used to play a badminton-like game called hanetsuki, though elaborately designed ones are purely ornamental.It’s placed on the household Shintō altar. Kagami mochi: This offering to the gods consists of two round rice cakes stacked one on top of the other and topped with an orange.Shimekazari: These are hung above doors, also to invite and welcome gods of good fortune and to ward off evil spirits, and consist of shimenawa (sacred straw rope), pine, and a bitter orange (a symbol of posterity), among others.They’re said to be the temporary dwelling places of gods who visit to bless humans and are usually burned after January 15. Kadomatsu: An ornament placed at an entrance, consisting of three bamboo shoots of different lengths (symbolizing prosperity), pine (symbolizing longevity), and plum branches (symbolizing steadfastness).They’re not just for businesses they’re used as home ornaments as well. Walking around Tokyo, you might see kadomatsu and shimekazari adorning shops, hotels, and other establishments. As busy as people are, the working populace gets a few days off for nenmatsu nenshi (literally “end of the year and beginning of the year”). In fact, most Japanese people will be at home (and if they’re not from Tokyo, in their hometowns) with their families. Noisy reveling, fireworks, or countdown parties aren’t the norm - though those can be found. With celebrations extending until January 3, New Year in Japan is largely a quiet family affair. Japanese New Year celebrations are quite different from typical Western ones. Instead, the traditional winter holiday for the Japanese is oshōgatsu (literally “first month”), or New Year. That’s because Christmas here is like Halloween - just another fun holiday without much traditional or religious significance. In Japan, after December 25, it’s as if Christmas never happened. Note that no lines on the Tokyo Metro will run overnight the metro will run on the schedule for Saturday and holidays. This includes the Yamanote line, Keihin-Tōhoku/Negishi line, Chūō Line Rapid Service, and local trains on the Chūō/Sōbu line. Important: Many JR train lines will run overnight from December 31 to January 1.
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