Updated on November 8, 2024
In Japan, there are customs and traditions associated with bringing in the New Year. The god of the New Year, who is in charge of people's health and happiness, and who connects people's lives, comes on New Year's Day.
Year-end cleaning
At the end of the year, a deep cleaning of each household is held to prepare for welcoming the New Year's gods and ancestors and to remove the year's dirt with the wish to be blessed.
Year-end cleaning is done everywhere, but the Daibutsu-Sama Ominugui is especially famous, where the monks at the Todaiji Temple clean the Great Buddha.
Shime-Nawa (decorations for the shime-warning ceremony)
After the cleaning is complete, shime-nawa (a special rope to indicate the sanctity of an object or space) and/or shime-kazari (a decorative shime-nawa for the New Year) are hung in the household. There are a variety of decorations available at supermarkets, designer products, and crafts made by traditional artisans, but they are all designed to welcome the New Year's gods.
Mochi Tsuki for Kagami Mochi
At the end of the year, rice cakes are pounded and Kagamimochi (mirror-shaped rice cakes) are placed in the house.
It is believed that the god of the year who comes to the house during the New Year's holiday will be attached to the Kagamimochi.
New Year Card
It is common to prepare New Year's cards at the end of the year, which are delivered right on January 1st. For this purpose, the postcards are marked with Nenga in red letters and have a set deadline for sending them out. The New Year's greeting cards are used to share updates with relatives and friends.
New Year's Eve Events
Toshikoshi Soba
On this night, a long-held and widely established tradition is to eat toshikoshi soba.
The custom of eating soba is based on the wish for longevity: May you live a long and frugal life.
Jyoya-no Kane
Before the year changes, the temple bell rings for the New Year. The bell is rung 107 times before the new year dawns, and the last time is after the date changes.
