New Years, or Shogatsu here, is the most important holiday throughout the year in Japan
One webiste said "Years are traditionally viewed as completely separate, with each new year providing a fresh start. Consequently, all duties are supposed to be completed by the end of the year, while bonenkai parties ("year forgetting parties") are held with the purpose of leaving the old year's worries and troubles behind."
Pretty much everything shuts down from the 1st-3rd of January and people spend the time with their families.
On New Years Eve night exactly at midnight the Buddhist Temple bells are rung 108 times - according to Wikipedia it is to symbolize the 108 human sins in Buddhist belief, and to get rid of the 108 worldly desires regarding sense and feeling in every Japanese citizen. Japanese believe that the ringing of bells can rid off their sins during the previous year"
Then on the 1st - 3rd the thing to do is to go to a temple or shrine, I guess the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo has millions of visitors during these 3 days.
Today, the 31st, we went into Tokyo and even though it wasn't the 1st yet the Temple that we went to already was preparing for people with food stands lined up outside.
So what do you at a temple you ask? There are many things - from offering prayer to recieving good luck.
1) Get as close as you can to the altar and cast coins or paper money. Then you clap your hands, as to summon the gods - and offer your prayer. (If you are at a local shrine where there is less money you put money into the box of offering, pull the cord to ring the bell, clap your hands to summon the gods and offer your prayer)
2) Another custom will give you a fortune. After paying a small fee - the equivalent of $1 or $2 - you shake a small box containing bamboo sticks. When one of the sticks comes out you read the number engraved on the end of it. Next to the sticks are many boxes, each with a fortune corresponding to the number on your stick. So you find your number and choose your fortune. (When we did this we had a little trouble finding the corresponding box as the numbers were Japanese characters and then when we did find it out fortune was of course in Japanese - more than likely it says we will get rich :) )
Once you have finished reading your fortune you can either take it with you or tie it to a branch/wire nearby
3) Another thing you might do for good luck involves buying a little amulet/trinket which are said to carry good luck for one year. At the temple/shrine there is also a place to dispose of your good luck charm from the previous year and after the holidays they are ceremoniously burned.
One webiste said "Years are traditionally viewed as completely separate, with each new year providing a fresh start. Consequently, all duties are supposed to be completed by the end of the year, while bonenkai parties ("year forgetting parties") are held with the purpose of leaving the old year's worries and troubles behind."
Pretty much everything shuts down from the 1st-3rd of January and people spend the time with their families.
On New Years Eve night exactly at midnight the Buddhist Temple bells are rung 108 times - according to Wikipedia it is to symbolize the 108 human sins in Buddhist belief, and to get rid of the 108 worldly desires regarding sense and feeling in every Japanese citizen. Japanese believe that the ringing of bells can rid off their sins during the previous year"
Today, the 31st, we went into Tokyo and even though it wasn't the 1st yet the Temple that we went to already was preparing for people with food stands lined up outside.
1) Get as close as you can to the altar and cast coins or paper money. Then you clap your hands, as to summon the gods - and offer your prayer. (If you are at a local shrine where there is less money you put money into the box of offering, pull the cord to ring the bell, clap your hands to summon the gods and offer your prayer)
2) Another custom will give you a fortune. After paying a small fee - the equivalent of $1 or $2 - you shake a small box containing bamboo sticks. When one of the sticks comes out you read the number engraved on the end of it. Next to the sticks are many boxes, each with a fortune corresponding to the number on your stick. So you find your number and choose your fortune. (When we did this we had a little trouble finding the corresponding box as the numbers were Japanese characters and then when we did find it out fortune was of course in Japanese - more than likely it says we will get rich :) )
Once you have finished reading your fortune you can either take it with you or tie it to a branch/wire nearby
3) Another thing you might do for good luck involves buying a little amulet/trinket which are said to carry good luck for one year. At the temple/shrine there is also a place to dispose of your good luck charm from the previous year and after the holidays they are ceremoniously burned.
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