January 9, 2009
Happy New Year!
A display in a shrine depicting the coming of the Year of the Ox.
With the 2008 come and gone, it's time now to look forward to 2009, the Year of the Ox.
Based off the Chinese 12-year astrological zodiac, different animals are associated with different years of birth. It is believed, like in Western astrology and its constellations, that these animals influence a person's character and personality. Oxen include those born in 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, and of course, 2009.
It is believed that Oxen are:
Dependable, calm, methodical, patient, hardworking, ambitious, conventional, steady, modest, logical, resolute, and tenacious.
However, they can at times also be:
Stubborn, narrow-minded, materialistic, rigid, or demanding.
Besides that though, there are lots of things in Japan related to the coming of the new year. For starters, houses are cleaned thoroughly (susuharai, or soot-sweeping) to prepare the house for the new year but, more importantly, to symbolize the cleaning of the spirit to start the year anew.
Of course, the new year wouldn't be a new year without food and there are various traditional Japanese dishes prepared for the holiday season. Most common of all is mochi which is steamed rice pounded into cakes. It is often made before the new year and eaten at the beginning of January. Often times, two mounds of mochi are made into a decoration known as kagami mochi with a bitter orange on top to symbolize longevity.
Other ceremonies around Japan include the midnight tolling of large bells, a tradition known as joya-no-kane, at various Buddhist temples across Japan. Struck with a large wooden log-cum-mallet on the outside of the bell, the bell is struck 108 times in order to rid people of the 108 sins that Buddhists believe are found in man. Particularly famous is Kyoto's Chion-in Temple which houses one of the largest bells in the world at 74 tons.
Lastly, new year's traditions are topped off with New Year's cards (nengajo) mailed to friends and family as well as otoshidama, small colourful envelopes with money given to children similar to Chinese Red Envelopes.
With all that happening, it's no wonder that the New Year is one of the busiest times in Japan. And everyone at the Seiritsu International Department hopes that you had a safe and happy holiday season as well!
Happy 2009!