Oshogatsu

How was your holiday? I hope you are doing well and had a restful break!

Continuing from last time, I would like to introduce Japan's New Year again.

Hatsumode:

During Oshogatsu, Japanese people typically visit temples or shrines to express gratitude and pray for a safe and prosperous year, a practice known as "Hatsumode." In addition to prayers, individuals write their aspirations on wooden tags called "Ema" and participate in a form of fortune-telling called "Omikuji," where one's fortune or judgment is written on a piece of paper.

Eto:

The "Eto" system assigns an animal to each year in a 12-year cycle, originating from China and widely used in Southeast Asia. This year's animal is the dragon.

Nengajo:

Similar to Christmas cards, Japanese people send New Year's greetings, known as "Nengajo," to relatives, friends, and colleagues. These cards are typically completed by Christmas and placed in mailboxes to arrive on January 1st. While it used to be common for individuals to write over 100 letters each year, nowadays, more people are opting for emails and chats instead.

How did you find learning about Japanese New Year? The New Year holiday is one of the most significant and longest vacations for the Japanese, and there are many more cultural practices associated with it. Feel free to explore further!

Japanese Phrases Related to "January"

• 1月にはどんな料理を食べますか？（Ichigatsuniha donnaryoriwo tabemasuka）：What kind of food do you eat in January?
• 1月のあなたの都市の気温は何度ですか？（Ichigatsuno anatano toshino kionha nandodesuka）：What is the temperature in your city in January?
• 冬と夏どちらが好きですか？それはなぜですか？（Fuyuto natsu dochiragasukidesuka? Soreha nazedesuka?）：Which season do you prefer, winter or summer? Why?
• 今年は初詣に行きましたか？（Kotoshiha hatsumodeni ikimashitaka?）：Have you already gone to Hatsumode this year?
• オーストラリアでは1月は夏です（Australia deha ichigatsu ha natsudesu）：It's summer in January in Australia.