Hello, I am Yoshi Tanaka of NILS Japanese language school. We want to introduce some more traditions during this new year season.

[初詣（はつもうで）/First visit to the Shinto Shrine]
Many Japanese people visit a Shinto shrine during the first three days of January in order to make traditional New Year’s wishes for health and happiness. Some shrines like Maiji Jingu attract more than three million worshippers every year. Since the shrine is opened specially on the night of New Year’s Eve, some people arrive there right after they hear the joyanokane 除夜の鐘, the bell which rings out the old year. People buy omamori お守り, good luch charms, an hamaya 破魔矢, sacred arrows, to invite good fortune and ward off evil. Hatsumode is one of the few occasions when many people wear kimonos.



[鏡餅/Kagamimochi]
Kagamimochi are sets of two round, flat rice cakes, in which a smaller one is placed on top of a larger one. Mochi has been considered a sacred food since ancient times because rice cultivation has always been indispensable for the Japanese. Kagamimochi are placed in the tokonoma 床の間, a sacred alcove and offered at a Shinto alter. On January 11 kagamimochi are split by hand or hammer, cooked and served with stewed red beans and sugar. This event is called kagamibiraki 鏡開き.



[書初め/Kakizome]
Kakizome is to practice calligraphy with Japanese brushes and ink for the first time in the year. It is customary to do it on January 2. People enjoy writing their own favorite Chinese characters, words or phrases, facing the lucky direction of the year. Some people write their New Year resolutions. Writing rallies of Japanese calligrahy are held nation wide during the New year holiday.
Students studying Japanese language in our short term program always enjoy this tradition in the first class of the year.



[年賀状（ねんがじょう）/New Year postcards]
In Japan, there is a custom to exchange New Year postcards with personal or business acquaintances. On these cards, fixed phrases of thanks for teh year gone by and greetings for teh new Year are written, along with beautiful designs of the Oriental zodiac sign for the year. Some people also write briefly how they are getting along. Lately it has become popular to make original postcatds with a personal computer. The cards should be posted in December to be delivered on the first day of January.

January 9th News, from NILS Japanese language school.