Holiday Celebrations in Japan

Yes, they do celebrate Christmas in Japan...but it's not what you would expect. Or, maybe it is what you would expect for a country that is less than 1% Christian. First of all, December 25th is not a national holiday. December 23rd, the birthday of the current emperor, Emperor Akihito (Born 23 Dec 33) is a national holiday though. In late November Christmas decorations begin to appear, and shoppers begin to hear Christmas carols sung in english. This is the time for Japanese families to put in their order for that time-honored Christmas meal...Kentucky Fried Chicken. And what Christmas meal would be complete without kurisumasu keki? These cakes resemble birthday cakes, and are typically topped with strawberries and whipped cream. Japanese, who recognize our Santa and Christmas tree decorations are amazed to learn that most Americans have never heard of a Christmas cake...it's a unique part of Christmas in Japan.

New Year's Day, Shogatsu, is Japan's most important holiday, lasting from January 1st to 3rd. Many Japanese housewives will spend days preparing osechi for the "sanganichi" or first three day's of the new year, although much osechi is store-bought nowadays. Traditional New Year's meals also include zoni a soup containing Mochi. As with Christmas in the United States, decorations play an important part. The entrance to homes is decorated with a kadomatsu made of pine and bamboo. Additionally, during the New Year's season in Japan, you are sure to see kumade hanging in front of homes. These bamboo rakes are elaborately decorated, and symbolize the good fortune you can rake into your home in the new year. Miniature decorations called matsukasari may also be seen adorning the fronts of cars during the New Year.

New Year's Eve day is spent cleaning the home, like "spring cleaning" in the United States. Then, like Americans watching Dick Clark or MTV, many Japanese families spend New Year's Eve in front of the television watching the annual television broadcast of Kohaku uta gassen. This program, on NHK television features musical performances for all ages, with the latest J-Pop hits for the young people and Enka music for the older folks. Just before midnight, temple bells begin to ring 8 times in the old year and 100 times in the new year. This too is televised nationally, purifying people from the 108 sins in buddhism.

Millions of Nengajo or New Year's cards are sent out and delivered during the early morning hours of New Year's Day. They typically feature the animal from the Chinese zodiac which represents the coming year. 1999 was the Year of the Rabbit, while the Dragon welcomes in the new millenium. New Year's Day is also a day for many "firsts" like Hatsu Hinode the first sunrise, and the first visit to a shrine. Children receive gifts of money in specially decorated envelopes, with a typical gift amounting to about $250.

Each year, January 15th is celebrated as seijin no hi or Adulthood Day. This day is set aside to honor young men and women who have reached the legal age of 20. As adults they may smoke, drink, vote and marry, and they are also expected to participate more actively in society and religious ceremonies. Japan has long celebrated the change from childhood to adulthood, but it wasn't until 1948 that this national holiday was created. On this day, large-scale coming-of-age ceremonies are held in all parts of Japan. The new adults gather in the morning at cultural halls or auditoriums for the seijin shiki or "adult ceremony" where congratulatory speeches are given by the mayor and other local officials. Eligible men and women also receive gifts from friends and relatives. One of the most recognizable features of Adulthood Day is mogi, a tradition that dates to the seventh century where women adopt adult hairstyles and clothing to celebrate their transition from childhood to womanhood. Mogi literally means "putting on the skirt" and on January 15th you will see many young women in kimono of all colors and styles, attracting spectators wherever they go. Recognizing and honoring the new adults who represent the hopes and dreams of the future is a unique part of life in Japan.
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On February 2nd, as a groundhog tells Americans how much longer winter's cold will last, it's already February 3rd across the international dateline in Japan. Following the Chinese calendar where winter ends and spring begins on February 3rd, Japanese celebrate setsubun or "change of season" as a day to cast out the demons of bad luck which have settled in their homes during winter. In a centuries old tradition, beans or peanuts are thrown which, according to legend, pierce the eyes of the devils and drive them from the home.
In the early days of mane-maki, which the ceremony is called, the head of the household would dress in traditional Japanese ceremonial attire and throw beans wherever devils would hide, while shouting fuku-wa uchi or "good fortune come in." The beans were then gathered up and tossed outside with a shout of oni-wa sato or "demon go out."
Nowadays peanuts are used more commonly than beans. Stores carry specially wrapped bags of them attached to a devils mask. The head of the household will wear the mask as the children toss peanuts at "the devil" and chase him from the home. Eating beans or peanuts on this day is thought to ensure a year of good luck.
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One of Japan's biggest holiday celebrations is Golden Week, which begins on April 29th with the celebration of Green Day. Originally celebrated as the birthday of Emperor Hirohito, this day now honors his deep love and appreciation of nature. The holiday week goes on to include Constitution Day on May 3rd, and culminates on May 5th in the celebration of Children's Day, or Kodomo-no-hi.
Children's Day actually began as Tango-no-sekku, or Boy's Festival, a day to celebrate the healthy growth of boys in the family. Early celebrants hunted and gathered herbs on this day, hoping to drive away evil spirits. One of these herbs was the Iris flower, called shobu, which has a homonym meaning "warlike spirit." For this reason, Samurai displayed swords and armor to commemorate the holiday. People in the Muromachi Era displayed Iris flowers with paper samurai helmets. During the Edo Era, families began to display carp streamers, or koinobori to demonstrate their desire that their boys will grow up strong and courageous. In Chinese mythology, carp turn into mighty dragons after swimming upstream against a waterfall named Dragon's Gate, along the Yellow River. The koinobori are hoisted on tall poles outside the home. A black fish represents the father of the house, and a red one the mother, followed by a fish to represent each boy in the family. Indoors, musha dolls (named for an old Japanese samurai general) and small replicas of samurai swords and helmets are displayed. On this day, people also eat a special confection called kashiwamochi made of glutinous rice wrapped in an oak leaf.
On May 5, 1945, the holiday was renamed Kodomo-no-hi, or Children's Day. Many of the ancient customs designed to honor boys live on, but it is now truly a day to honor all children and express the parent's wishes for their happiness and prosperity in the future. Nowadays, some families even raise a koinobori to the sky for their daughters!

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