🎍 2. New Year’s Traditions (Oshogatsu): Welcoming a Fresh Beginning
Oshogatsu, the Japanese New Year, is one of the most important celebrations in Japan, filled with customs that symbolize renewal and good fortune. Preparations begin in December with osoji, a thorough house cleaning to purify the space for the coming year. Families decorate their homes with kadomatsu (pine and bamboo arrangements) and shimenawa (sacred straw ropes) to invite good spirits and ward off evil.
On New Year’s Eve, people often eat toshikoshi soba (year-crossing noodles), symbolizing longevity. At midnight, Buddhist temples ring their bells 108 times in the Joya no Kane ritual, representing the cleansing of earthly desires. The first shrine visit of the year, hatsumode, is another cherished tradition where people pray for health, happiness, and prosperity.