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A guide to New Year traditions in Japan from Japan Today

A guide to New Year traditions in Japan

Dec. 30, 2017 05:00 am JST             
 

By Haruka Masumizu   

TOKYO    

The New Year is just around the corner. For many non-Japanese, especially newcomers to Japan, many of the customs and traditions of New Year may seem hard to understand. New Year or Oshogatsu is the most important holiday period in Japan for families and it is rich in tradition. If you're lucky enough to be invited by your Japanese friends to join them, you'll be in for some interesting experiences.
Here is our annual guide to help you understand New Year customs in Japan.
New Year’s Eve - Omisoka (大晦日)
Omisoka is the Japanese expression for New Year’s Eve. In order to start off the new year with a fresh mind, families and kids come together to clean up the entire house (called osoji - big cleaning) and use the last few days of the old year to make preparations for osechi ryori (see below), special decorations and rituals for New Year’s Day. As many people go back to their hometowns during this time, it might be interesting for you to see usually busy and hectic Tokyo suddenly become so quiet and empty.
Joya no Kane (除夜の鐘）

Photo: Wikipedia

Around midnight on New Year’s Eve, you may hear bells peal in the tranquil sky monotonously for about 1-2 hours. This Buddhist tradition is called Joya no Kane, and it is one of the most important rituals of the year for Buddhist temples all over Japan. No matter where you live, you can probably hear the sound of the bells as temples are in many neighborhoods.
But do you know why they strike the bell exactly 108 times? In Buddhism, it is believed that human beings are plagued by 108 types of earthly desires and feelings called Bonnou, exemplified by anger, adherence and jealousy. Each strike of the bell will remove one troubling Bonnou from you.
The kanji Jo (除) means “to throw away the old and move on to the new” and Ya (夜) means “night.” So, it is the perfect night to leave your old self behind and commence the new year with new resolutions and a clear head. By the time you count the 108th peal, you are ready to start the new year refreshed without anything troubling your mind -- in theory.
Toshikoshi-soba (年越し蕎麦)
The tradition of eating soba (Japanese noodles) on New Year’s Eve is said to have become common during the Edo era (1603-1868). When soba is made, the dough is stretched and cut in a long and thin form, which is said to represent a long and healthy life. Interestingly, as soba is cut easily compared to other types of noodles, it also symbolizes a wish to cut away all the misfortunes of the old year in order to commence the new year refreshed.
Kadomatsu (門松)

You might have seen a green decoration made of pine, bamboo and plum (ume) trees in front of Japanese people’s houses and offices during the last few days of the old year and the first few days of the new year. It is called kadomatsu, and during the period from right after Christmas until January 7, it is believed to provide temporary housing for the toshigami sama (deity) in order to ensure a great harvest and blessings from the family's ancestors on everyone in the home. Pine, bamboo and plum trees each symbolize longevity, prosperity and sturdiness.
Kagami-mochi (鏡もち)

Photo: Wikipedia

Kagami-mochi, often translated as a mirror rice cake, is a rice cake used as a decoration. But you may wonder why it is called a mirror as it doesn’t look like a mirror at all.
However, mirrors in Japan a long time ago had a round shape, and were often used for important Shinto rituals. As mirrors are believed to be a place where gods reside, these mochi (rice cakes) are shaped like an ancient round mirror to celebrate the new year together with the gods.
On top of the rice cakes is a type of orange called daidai (now replaced with mikan most of the time). When written with different kanji “代々”, it means “over generations,” representing a wish for prosperity of descendants over generations.
The shimekazari (しめ飾り) or New Year wreath, made of twine, twigs, paper strips and a mikan, is also a common sight at entrances to homes and offices.
New Year’s Day - Ganjitsu (元日)
You might be confused by two different yet similar words, ganjitsu (元日) and gantan (元旦). Even if you ask your Japanese friends what the difference is, they will probably say “I’ve never thought about that...don’t they mean the same thing?”
While ganjitsu refers to the whole 24 hours of New Year’s Day, gantan only refers to the morning of New Year’s Day. The second kanji “旦” represents the sun coming up over the horizon -- sunrise.
Ganjitsu is a pretty busy day for Japanese families. After breakfast (osechi ryori) with all the relatives, they visit shrines and temples and shop for New Year’s special sales ... but each of these traditions has a hidden meaning, purpose and sometimes complex way to conduct it.
Osechi Ryori (おせち料理)

Osechi ryori consists of traditional Japanese foods eaten at the very outset of the new year. They are served in a beautiful 3 or 4-layer bento box called jubako placed in the middle of the table, and are shared by families or friends surrounding it. The osechi tradition is said to have started in the Heian Era (794-1185), and since then, each food item in osechi has represented a particular wish for the new year.
For example, renkon (lotus root) represents a hope for a good and happy future without obstacles ahead, because you can see the other side (the future) through the holes without obstacles. Click here for an explanation of the various dishes.
Iwai-bashi (祝箸)

When you eat osechi ryori, you will use a special type of chopsticks called iwai-bashi. Usually, chopsticks get thinner toward one of the ends that you use to pick up food, while with iwai-bashi, both ends are sharp. This is because one side will be used by yourself, and the other side is believed to be used by a deity.
Osechi ryori is something that is offered to the deity first, who then allows you to share it so you’ll be blessed with a fruitful year ahead. So, even if you think it is efficient to use both sides of the chopsticks to get some food from the shared plate, it will be considered disrespectful toward the deity.
Otoso (お屠蘇)

Otoso is sometimes translated as New Year’s sake, but when written in kanji it reveals a different meaning. The last kanji “蘇” is believed to be the name of a demon which used to harass villagers, and the middle kanji means to “kill” or “slaughter.” Now you can easily guess that the purpose of drinking otoso is to drive away evil spirits around you and to wish for a long life without any disease.
The tradition of otoso, which was originally imported from the Tang dynasty in China, where this type of sake was used for medicinal purposes, had been practiced as a new year ritual among the Heian nobility. It was only during the Edo era that it became a commoners’ practice.
When you drink otoso, families share the same three special cups. The drinking order generally starts from the youngest person of the group and ends with the oldest, whose purpose is to allow older people to absorb some vitality from the young people.
Otoshidama (お年玉)

Photo: Wikipedia

Otoshidama refers to a Japanese tradition that all children look forward to every year. Kids receive small envelopes with some cash from their parents, grandparents and close relatives, generally from 5-6 people. The average amount of money per envelope is 5,000 yen, but it generally increases as the kids grow up.
The tradition originated as an offering of rice cakes called kagami mochi to toshigami-sama, a New Year deity. Those rice cakes, given from parents to children, were called toshidama in the past, and they came to be replaced with small toys, and then with money today.
Hatsumode (初詣)

Photo: Reuters

Hatsumode is the first visit to a shrine or temple during the first few days of January, where family and relatives pray together for a fortunate year ahead. Some of the most popular shrines and temples organize festivities with stalls that sell food, omikuji (fortune-telling strips of paper for drawing) and lucky charms to wish for safety, prosperity of descendants, good exam results, love and wealth.
When you make a prayer at the altar, you might be confused over how the prayer is specifically conducted by Japanese people. Here’s what to do: First, throw some coins into a box in front of the altar, ring the bell using the rope hanging down from it, bow twice, clap your hands twice in front of your chest, and lastly bow one more time.
Nengajo（年賀状）

Nengajo refers to a special type of postcard Japanese people send to their friends and acquaintances as a form of greeting at the end of the year. This custom is quite similar to the tradition in Western countries of sending Christmas cards. They are generally delivered on Jan 1 when posted by a certain date in December thanks to a generous service operated by the post office.
Nengajo generally start with a standard sentence Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimasu (Happy New Year) and Kotoshi mo Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu (Thank you for all your support for this year in advance.) Additionally, people tend to write how they have been doing recently or their new year resolutions along with their family photo or an illustration of the coming year’s sign from the Chinese zodiac.
But greetings from your friends are not the only purpose of nengajo. All nengajo postcards have lottery numbers on them, and when delivered, the holders of the winning numbers will be able to receive various prizes, which include some expensive items like travel tickets and electronic devices.
However, in this digital age, some young people consider sending postcards as old school. For such people, a new service is becoming increasingly popular -- the service that allows people to send and receive nengajo quickly by email or by some SNS apps, and even to attach a video clip to the nengajo.
Fukubukuro (福袋)

Directly translated, fukubukuro means a lucky bag, which is a Japanese tradition where department stores and shops fill bags with random leftover goods from the past year and sell them at a sizeable discount. The tradition is said to come from a Japanese proverb that says “There is fortune in leftovers (Nokorimono ni wa fuku ga aru).”
Some popular shops such as 109 in Shibuya have an incredibly long queue in front of them hours before they open on New Year’s Day. The value of the items is often 50% more than the selling price. If you don't mind waiting and are prepared for a stampede, New Year’s Day is a great shopping opportunity.
© Japan Today

The Filipino Parol (Christmas Lantern)

https://themixedculture.com/2013/12/15/parol-filipino-christmas/

Filipino Christmas celebration is colorful, lively, full of traditions, bright and definitely twinkling. One of the most iconic symbol of  Filipino Christmas spirit, is the Christmas lantern or locally known as “paról”. The star-shaped lanterns are displayed hanging outside the house, along the busy streets of the cities and even in provincial towns and small villages. May it be a parol with simple or intricate designs, for Filipinos it is an expression of shared faith and hope. It also symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness and Filipinos’ goodwill during Christmas season.
For Filipinos, parol making and hanging them outside is a representation of the star of Bethlehem that guided the Three Wise Men to the manger of the newly born Jesus Christ. The origin of paról can be traced back during the Spanish era in the Philippines, when the Spaniards brought Christianity to the islands. Parols were initially used to light the way to church to faithfully attend the 9-day Simbang Gabi or Misas de Aguinaldo, which begin on the 16th of December, a devotion for petition of special favors. After coming home from hearing the mass, instead of putting away the lantern somewhere else, people would hang it outside the house.

Paróls are star-shaped lanterns and traditionally made of  bamboo, papél de japón (Japanese paper) and illuminated with candle or kalburo (carbide). As times goes by, the lantern evolved into more intricate, lavish and brightly lit Christmas ornament. Aside from the traditional design of parols, other materials are used such as capiz shells with elaborated lights became popular too. Adding to the meaning of parol, the lantern also demonstrates the craftsmanship of Filipinos. Many communities, such as villages, schools, and groups hold competitions to see who can make the best paról. In the province of Pampanga, an annual Giant Lantern Festival is held, which attracts various craftsmen from across the archipelago.

Yuletide season is definitely bright and twinkling in the Philippines, no wonder with the paról, it became the Festival of Lights. To appreciate and see the peak of the Festival of Lights in the Philippines, one must travel at night from December 16th up to January 6th. All kinds of paróls will make your holidays merrier and bright. Filipinos’ Christmas lantern, a tradition, an art and an iconic symbol of Christmas.

How to make a Filipino Parol: 

http://theartofhomeeducation.com/2013/12/15/the-parol-christmas-lantern/

How did Christmas start?

https://youtu.be/IoBM3XQCC2g

This video shows how the tradition of Christmas began in many parts of the world.

 Christmas in the Philippines 

People in the Philippines like to celebrate Christmas for as long as possible! The playing of Christmas carols in shops can start in September! The formal Christmas celebrations start on 16th December when many people go the the first of nine pre-dawn or early morning masses. The last mass is on Christmas day. The Christmas celebrations continue to the First Sunday in January when Epiphany or the Feast of the Three Kings is celebrated.

In the Philippines the early masses held before Christmas are called the 'Misa de Gallo' or 'Simbang Gabi' in Filipino.

Most Filipinos are Christians with about 80% of people being Catholics. It's the only Asian country with so many Christians. Because of this, Christmas is the most important holiday in the Philippines. December is actually one of the 'cooler' months of the year in the Philippines. The Philippines only has two real seasons, wet (June to October) and dry (April and May). December is one of the months in between the wet and dry seasons.

Christmas Eve is very important in the Philippines. Many people stay awake all night into Christmas day! During Christmas Eve evening, Christians go to church to hear the last 'simbang gabi' or the Christmas Eve mass. This is followed by a midnight feast, called Noche Buena.

The Noche Buena is a big, open house, celebration with family, friends and neighbors dropping in to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! Most households would have several dishes laid out and would normally include: lechon (roasted pig), ham, fruit salad, rice cakes (bibingka and puto bumbong are traditional Christmas foods) and other sweets, steamed rice, and many different types of drinks.

http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/philippines.shtml



Other links:


http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/05/world/asia/irpt-xmas-philippines-traditions/



http://www.filipiknow.net/facts-about-christmas-in-the-philippines/

Decorate a Christmas Tree

Click on the link and decorate your Christmas Tree!

Drag and Drop the decorations onto the tree! (It needs Javascript to be enabled) To clear the decorations reload/refresh the browser.

https://www.whychristmas.com/fun/decorateatree.shtml

Filipino Christmas Traditions (Learn Some Tagalog Words)

Being mostly Catholics, Filipinos start a novena (a series of nine masses) on December 16th. The masses are part of the religious tradition of Simbang Gabi, which literally means “Night Worship.”

Filipinos go to church at four o’clock in the morning and afterward have breakfast together. A traditional drink during this season is a warm ginger tea called salabat and a traditional treat is a flat but thick yellow rice cake called bibingka.

PASKO: Christmas in the Philippines

The Tagalog word Pasko derives from the Spanish word Pascua. Although the wordPascua means Easter, Pascua de Navidad refers to Christmas.

The Philippines is known for having the world’s longest Christmas season. The four months that end with the syllable –ber are considered Christmas months, which is why stores and households start playing carols on the first day of September! And the holiday season extends beyond December 31st. It doesn’t end until the Feast of the Epiphany or Three Kings (Tatlong Hari) which falls around January 6.

If Mexico has piñatas, the Philippines has its parol. Of course, a parol is not something to hit with a stick. It is a Christmas lantern, most commonly in the shape of a five-pointed star. The bamboo or rattan frame is covered with rice paper, tissue or cellophane. Almost every family either builds or buys one to hang by the window or door. Shopping malls construct giant versions of parol. Traditionally, a candle was placed inside for light to shine through; for safety reasons, people now use bulbs or even a flashlight.

Families, schools and other places also display a creche or nativity scene called belen. Christmas trees made of plastic are decorated with lights, tinsel and balls.

The Tagalog word for gift is regalo, but Filipinos have a special word for “Christmas gift” — pamasko. Children receive fresh bills of money called aginaldo, usually when they visit their godparents and elderly relatives on Christmas morning.

Mostly Catholics, Filipinos begin a novena (a series of nine masses) on December 16th. The masses are part of the cherished religious tradition of Simbang Gabi, which literally means “Night Worship.” Filipinos go to church at four o’clock in the morning and afterward have breakfast together. A traditional drink during this season is a warm ginger tea called salabat and a traditional treat is a flat but thick yellow rice cake called bibingka.

What every Filipino looks forward to is Noche Buena, the grand family dinner after the midnight mass.

Christmas morning is the time for visiting relatives. Filipinos wear new if not their best clothes. Children do mano, which is kissing or bringing to their forehead the hand of an elderly person. This is when they receive their pamasko, certainly aguinaldo from godfathers and godmothers. Christmas lunch and Christmas dinner are with family.

Merry Chistmas!

The Cost of Dying: Funerals and Cemeteries

Presentation guideline:

We learned that both in Japan and the Philippines, there are many ways to remember the dead people in our lives. For many people, remembering the dead is a traditional part of life.

Ceremonies of remembering the dead often include extensive preparations, that are sometimes expensive. Also, cemeteries are likewise expensive to keep and maintain.

Some people believe that saying goodbye to dead loved ones should not cost so much money. Money is to be used for living people, not the dead. So, expensive funerals, and high cost of cemeteries are not practical.

However, some people believe that having lavish ceremonies for the dead is necessary, it is a way to say goodbye, and a way to show respect for the dead person. Cemeteries are needed, even if these are expensive, because there must be an official place where people can go and visit the remains of their dead loved one.

What about people who have no relatives, how will they be remembered? Will you be willing to pay for the funeral and a space in a cemetery for someone you don’t know? What do you think can be done for people like this?

What is your opinion about remembering the dead? Do some research, and give supporting facts about your opinion.

How Japanese people celebrate Obon

In Japan, Obon is often a solemn occasion, with visits to the cemetery, going to hometowns and meeting relatives.

How do you celebrate Obon? Compare Obon, with the Philippines’ Undas.


Videos:

Japan's OBON Festival: Invitation for the Dead

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OFKADRlkoL8

Learn Japanese Holidays: Obon

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gpK7NogNB4g

The Japanese Tradition (A Funny Look at Obon) 日本語版

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Fob-Zt3bUpo

Tourism in the Philippines: Statistics

City of Manila

Manila City skyline view from Harbour Square

Makati City

Makati City skyline

Tourism is an important sector for the Philippine economy, contributing 7.8% to the Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) in 2014.^[2]
Philippines is an archipelagic country composed of 7,107 islands with 82 provinces divided in 18 regions. Philippines is known for having its rich biodiversity and it is the main tourist attraction in the country.^[3] Its beaches, mountains, rainforests, islands and diving spots are among the country's most popular tourist destinations. The country's rich historical and cultural heritage is also one of the attractions of the Philippines.
Popular destinations among tourists are El Nido in Palawan, Boracay, Cebu, Manila and many more.

 

 

Since 2010, South Korea has been the largest source of visitors to the Philippines. In 2013, a total of 1.17 million South Koreans visited the Philippines. It is followed by the United States, Japan, China, Australia, Taiwan, and Canada.^[5] In 2013, the country attracted 4,681,307 visitors.^[5]
In 2014, the Department of Tourism announced that the year 2015 will be the Visit the Philippines year.

Arrivals

Tourism Statistics[20]
Year	Foreign Tourists
1996	1,049,367
1997	1,222,523
1998	1,149,357
1999	1,170,514
2000	1,992,169
2001	1,796,893
2002	1,932,677
2003	1,907,226
2004	2,291,347
2005	2,623,084
2006	2,843,335
2007	3,091,993
2008	3,139,422
2009	3,017,099
2010	3,520,471
2011	3,917,454
2012	4,272,811[21]
2013	4,681,307[22]
2014	4,833,368[23]
2015	5,360,682[24]
Jan-Feb 2016	1,091,983[25]

Top 20 international visitors

Rank	Country	Jan-Feb 2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011
1	South Korea	284,763	1,339,678	1,175,472	1,165,789	1,031,155	925,204
2	United States	155,796	779,217	722,750	674,564	652,626	624,527
3	China	130,916	490,641	394,951	426,352	250,883	243,137
4	Japan	92,531	495,662	463,744	433,705	412,474	375,496
5	Australia	43,712	241,187	224,784	213,023	191,150	170,736
6	Canada	36,773	156,363	143,899	131,381	123,699	117,423
7	Taiwan	35,344	177,670	142,973	139,099	216,511	181,738
8	Singapore	28,376	181,175	179,099	175,034	148,215	137,802
9	United Kingdom	28,238	154,589	133,665	122,759	113,282	112,106
10	Malaysia	23,990	155,814	139,245	109,437	114,513	91,752
11	Hong Kong		122,180	126,008	114,100	118,666	112,106
12	Germany		75,348	72,801	70,949	67,203	61,193
13	India		74,824	61,152	52,206	46,395	42,844
14	Saudi Arabia		50,884	43,483	38,969	30,040	27,945
15	Indonesia	8,824	48,178	46,757	45,582	36,627	34,542
16	France	12,502	45,505	38,946	39,042	33,709	29,591
17	Thailand		44,038	45,943	47,847	40,987	37,862
18	Russia		35,378	38,976	41,254	33,729	23,908
19	Guam		35,262
20	Vietnam		31,579

 

Reference:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_the_Philippines

Reading Comprehension and Wrting

Based on our reading - Why Japan's Universities continue to Fall in Global Rankings - please answer the following questions on the paper provided.

1. What does THE stand for?
T __________________ H___________________ E__________________

2. What did Prime Minister Shinzo Abe propose in 2013, related to education?

3. What were the 5 categories on which the THE based their ranking?

4. What were mentioned as the six leading universities in Asia?

Essay:

1. According to the article:
"The recent rapid decline of Japanese universities's rankings is attributable to major strides made by their counterparts in Singapore, China and South Korea." Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Explain your answer.

2. The last three paragraphs of the article writes about the three problems with the current THE World University Rankings, Choose ONE problem, and explain how this affects the ranking of Japan.

Presentation Tips

This link will give you tips about making a good PowerPoint presentation. The file is a PowerPoint file and may have to be downloaded.

www.iasted.org/conferences/formatting/Presentations-Tips.ppt



Opnion Essays

Link to Slide (How to Write an Opinion Essay)

http://www.slideshare.net/aponce4/an-opinion-essay-presentation

Tips on Writing an Opinion Essay:

http://homeworktips.about.com/od/essaywriting/a/opinion.htm

Fact vs Opinion YouTube link:

http://youtu.be/fnFnWWAnlkw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAKprpl7aPo

Advanced Opinion Writing
The most important way to persuade someone to agree with what you are writing is to include strong supporting facts. Your writing will always sound better when you support what you have written with evidence or good examples.

A second way to persuade someone to agree with the ideas in your writing is to include at least one sentence with an opposing opinion (an opinion that disagrees with your point of view). At first, this might not seem like a good idea, but it is common to state one point of view that disagrees with your own point of view. This is called a counterargument. This counterargument is then followed by a statement that refutes, or reduces the counterargument. This is called a refutation because you refute the counterargument.

When you acknowledge this other opinion, you should downplay, or minimize it. One way to do this is to use weak words, such as some, may, and might, as we can see in the following example:

                 Some people might say that uniforms take away personal freedom, but students still have
                 many other ways to express themselves and their individuality.

In a good opinion paragraph, the writer:

• states an opinion about a topic
• provides supporting sentences with factual information
• briefly mentions one opposing point of view (the counterargument)
• refute the counterargument in one or two sentences (refutation)
• finishes the paragraph with a concluding sentence that restates the topic sentence and / or offers a solution.

Read the paragraph above and answer the following questions:

1. What is the opinion of the writer about high school students volunteering? ___________________________________________________________________________

2. What is the counterargument sentence? ___________________________________________________________________________

3. What is the statement that refutes the counterargument?

___________________________________________________________________________

4. What are the supporting facts?

___________________________________________________________________________

5. What is the concluding sentence?

___________________________________________________________________________