Nanakusa-gayu

Hello.
This is May in Japan.

Today is January 7th.
It is a day that Japanese people eat Nanakusa-gayu.
Nanakusa-gayu means the rice porridge containing the seven chopped vegetables.

It is a Japanese custom that people eat Nanakusa-gayu for breakfast on January 7th.
Today is "Jinjitsu", it is one of the 5 sekku that mark changes in the seasons.

People believe that they can spend this one year in a perfect state of health, when they eat Nanakusa-gayu.
To tell the truth, it isn't very delicious.
But we eat it to pray for a perfect state of health.

Sanshamairi

Hello.
This is May in Japan.

Today I'd like to introduce "Sanshamairi ".

Before, I introduced that Japanese people go for a New Year's visit to a Shinto shrine on New Year's day.
The blog article, please click here →A Happy New Year !! 

Sanshamairi means that people go for a New Year's visit to 3 different Shinto shrines.
This Sanshamairi is not observed throughout Japan.
It is a custom which has firmly taken root especially in parts of Kyushu and Chugoku regions centering around Fukuoka Prefecture.

The custom do not have the rule, such as the deadline or kinds of Shinto shrines.
People go to 3 Shinto shrines which they like.
I usually go to 3 Shinto shrines located near my house.

Other local people have the negative opinion about Sanshamairi, but I like it.
I like Sanshamairi, because I feel that 3 different Gods protect me when I visit to a Shinto shrine.

the Year of the Sheep

Hello.
This is May in Japan.

This year,2015 is the Year of the Sheep.

It is one of the 12-year cycle of animals that appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar.

People rarely use the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac in life, but sometimes we use it for making the design of the New Year's card.
And people say born age in the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac.

By the way, I was born in the Year of the Cock.
When Japanese people hear the sexagenary cycle of born age, they can recognize the approximate age of the person.
Can you predict my age?
It is the hint that I'll reach the third sexagenary cycle of my born age soon.

Japanese people love Fukubukuro.

Hello.
This is May in Japan.

Today I'd like to introduce Fukubukuro.

These are Fukubukuro.
Fukubukuro means a lucky bag in Japanese.
It is sold on New Year's day or  the first sales of the year.
It is mystery package with a variety of articles possibly worth more than the purchase price.

Japanese people love Fukubukuro.
Some people line up before opening of a store to buy it.

I think that they buy it for trial of their luck.

Good luck !! 

Japanese children are looking forward to Otoshidama.

Hello.
This is May in Japan.

When New Year's holidays have come, Japanese children are looking forward to something.
What is it ?

The answer is this.
This is Otoshidama.
Otoshidama means a New Year's gift in Japanese.

We give children money(mainly bills) put in envelopes which we call Pochi bukuro.
It is a Japanese custom that Japanese adults must give children Otoshidama.
But we don't need to give every children Otoshidama, when we meet children (normally friend's child or child of the relative) on New Year's holidays, we give Otoshidama.

During New Year's holidays, Japanese adults become poor, but Japanese children become rich.
When I was 10 years old, I got 30000yen by Otoshidama, but I don't remember what I used it.

Now, it's my turn that I must give children Otoshidama.
Oh...I'm going to be poor....

Japanese people eat zoni on New Year's Day.

Hello.

This is May in Japan. 

Today I'd like to introduce the food that Japanese people eat on New Year's Day.

This is the food that we call "zoni ".

It is a soup containing rice cakes and vegetables.

This soup is cooked in various ways according to regional custom. 

My mom's zoni is the soup of the bonito containing vegetables, mushrooms, kamaboko and rice cakes.

We must eat it  on New Year's Day.

When I eat it, I feel that New Year's day has come. 

 

A Happy New Year !!

A Happy New Year !!

This is May in Japan.
Today we enter 2015 year.
It is a holiday today.

New Year is called "Osyo-gatsu" in Japanese.
It is written in Japanese as お正月.

It is a very important day for Japanese people.

We have to go for a New Year's visit to a Shinto shrine.
Many people visit  to give thanks of one year and pray for the safety and peace of the New Year.

There are many kinds of Shinto shrines in Japan.
A shrine to a God of learning, a shrine to a God of the road safety, a shrine to a God of the love accomplishment...etc
We go to the Shinto shrine depending on our wish and pray.

We predict the year ahead with a fortune, when we go to the Shinto shrine.
The  fortune is called "Omikuji" in Japanese.
We are looking forward to drawing a fortune.

Anyway, may this year be another good one!!