My special New Year's Card

New Year Cards

In Japan, we have a custom to send New Year cards called “nengajyo”.
People enjoy writing cards to their friends, family and people they haven’t seen in a while. It is one way of keeping in touch and letting them know how you are.

You can buy special New Year post cards at convenience stores, department stores and post offices. You can buy ones with pictures on the front, or ones that are blank and you can draw or print them out yourself. The designs are usually the picture of an animal representing the Chinese zodiac for that year. This year was the year of the cow, and next year will be the year of the tiger. Some people like to send a picture of themselves or of their family or pets. Also, there are cards which have numbers printed on the bottom. These are for a lucky draw. The lucky draw is drawn around the 15th of January. You have a chance of winning things such as stamps, a bicycle or a television. Last year, I got the last prize which was a stamp.

When I was in elementary school, I bought about 50 post cards and wrote them all by hand. I bought ink stamps of the animal for that year and stamped it, wrote “Happy New Year” and wrote different messages for each person. I enjoyed making them so much. It was nice to receive some too. When I was a child, I used to run outside to the mailbox as soon as I got up to see if they had come or not. Waking up on the first day of the year and checking my mail box for New Year cards was so exciting!

As I got older, I learnt how to use a computer and I made cards with it. There is a special software for designing New Year cards and it is very convenient: you pick some pictures, stick it on to it and move it around. That’ all you have to do, and you can design your own lovely Nengajou. I had more friends to send cards to, so it was much easier than to write it by hand. Although, I still kept writing a short massage to each person by hand because I thought hand writing makes it more personal.

However, the ways of sending New Year cards are changing, especially for the young generation. Recently we send them by e-mail by our mobile phones, as it is more convenient and also cheaper. This year, I received more e-mails than cards. I only got five cards from my friends; one was from a doctor that I only have been to once or twice! I was a little disappointed that the mailbox was not full but my mobile’s e-mail box was full instead. On the massage, we attach some pictures like you print on your nangajou. The most surprising one I got this year was a photo of a real cow. It had a great impact and I decided that I am going to send a photo of a real tiger next year to my friends. I hope everyone will like it.

Now that I am in University and I am getting to know more people, my address book is getting bigger and bigger. Although I love to receive the traditional style New Year cards, I think I might be sending them mostly by e-mail this year too.

How about you? Are you going to send traditional style New Year’s cards? People used to discuss whether hand writing cards are better than ones you printed from the computer. Now it is whether you send it by post or by e-mail. Which do you prefer, receiving the traditional style one or by e-mail?

Japanese Fairy Tale: Urashimataro

Valentine’s Day & White Day

In Japan, there’s a unique custom for women to give chocolates to men on Valentine’s Day.
It was started by a chocolate company called Mary Chocolate, and after that, all the other chocolate companies copied with a catch phrase “women give chocolates to men”. Of course this custom originally came from abroad , but it has become popular in Japan too.
There is also a day called ‘White Day’. It is a day for men to give a gift in return to women that gave them chocolate. They give things such as candy or marshmallows or accessories. The present they buy is usually worth two or three times the amount they got on Valentine’s Day.

Also, both Valentine’s Day and White Day gifts can be given to not only your loved ones but also to your friends or workmates.
I think it is an interesting but unique event.
Don’t be surprised if you are a man and get chocolates on Valentine’s Day.

New Year's Day

New Year is the biggest event in Japan. New Year’s celebration is from January 1st to 3rd and it’s called “Oshogatsu”. Most businesses shut down and everybody goes back to their hometown to spend time with their family.

On New Year’s eve, we eat “toshi koshi “soba.
If eaten on New Year’s eve, it is supposed to get rid of the bad things from the previous year and also promote long life.

On the first of January, everyone goes to the shrine to pray for the health and luck for the year.
They line up in a great big line in order to ring the bell at the offertory chest.

Also, there’s an exciting event for the children. When all the family get together for New Year, there’s a custom for the adults to give some pocket money in an envelope called “otoshidama”. Children look forward to getting ‘otoshidama’ from their family and relatives.

Crowds in Tokyo

As you know, Tokyo is very crowded. There are people everywhere!

This is Shibuya, one of the biggest cities in Tokyo.
When the light turns green at the intersection, all the people start walking from everywhere. It’s so strange how everybody doesn’t bump into each other.

Trains are also very crowded.
The worst times are in the mornings and evenings during rush hours.
This video on YouTube is popular overseas. Why don’t you take a look?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0A9-oUoMug&feature=related
What did you think about it?
It’s not always as bad as this, but I often see people pushing and shoving. It looks so funny when you are watching people being packed in but it’s awful when you are one of them.
Can you believe it?

Japanese people usually don’t like to get physically close, particularly with strangers, but when it comes to crowded trains, they get close to each other.

Beautiful Illuminations In Tokyo

At Christmas, you can see gorgeous illuminations everywhere. There are some places I recommend you to visit to enjoy your Christmas in Japan.

One of the most beautiful illuminations in Tokyo that you can see is, Roppongi hills.
You can see Tokyo tower from this spot and it is awesome.

Another spot is Gotemba.
This is a tunnel covered with lights. This tunnel is so long and you can’t believe how beautiful this is!

Next is Ebisu, which is in the city.
There’s a great big chandelier in the middle.


And last, Shinjuku.

This is fantastic!

Each one of them is so gorgeous and lovely.
Did you find anywhere that you want to visit?

Christmas in Japan

In Japan, most people are not Christians but they all celebrate Christmas.
Christmas came to Japan about 450 years ago, but in 1587, the government prohibited Christianity. From the Meiji period Christmas became a business event and many stores started to decorate their interior and sell Christmas goods. Still now, Christmas is kind of a commercial event in Japan.

In Japan, Christmas is a day for couples to go out and see the beautiful illuminations in the city and share their love. The cities are full of Christmas decorations from the end of November. From that time, people started thinking about Christmas. Young people who don't have a lover, seem to feel very depressed and become jealous of the people who has one.

But it is not only for couples, it is also for families. Children get presents from Santa Claus so they seem to remember Christmas as a day that Santa gives presents. People go out for dinner or get something very nice to eat and enjoy the mood of Christmas. The world famous KFC is one of the symbols of Christmas in Japan,and every year so many people line up to get the special bucket full of chicken on Christmas Eve.