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.