The end of the year, as well as the new year, is celebrated in style all over the world, but perhaps one of the most beautiful festivals or parties is that of Omisoka, which is celebrated in Japan. Let’s see below, what is Omisoka, as well as when and where is Japanese New Year’s Eve 2021 celebrated.
The last month of each year is perhaps one of the months in which more traditions and celebrations take place around the world. Some of them are older than others, such as the celebration of Jewish Hanukkah or Hanukkah, and also Omisoka, which is the way to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Japan and has a long tradition.
what is omisoka
Omisoka or Ōmisoka (大晦日) is the Japanese word for New Year’s Eve, or December 31 of each year in Japan but it is not a celebration by itself, but actually we can say that would be a celebration prior to the Japanese New Year or Shogatsu, (お) 正月) which is probably himThe most important and heartfelt holiday in Japan.
Until 1873 the country followed the Chinese calendar, but from that date it adopted the Gregorian calendar. and therefore celebrates the New Year on the same day as ours.
For the Japanese, the end of the year has a strong symbolic valuesince they traditionally consider each year as something unique, so for them to start a new year in some way would be to start a “new life”. Remembering this recently formulated premise, you will be able to better understand everything that you will read in the following lines.
The days leading up to the New Year are among the most celebrated in all of Japan, and in fact the companies, shops and even some tourist places They are closed all week.
When is omisoka 2021
Being governed by the Gregorian calendar, the Omisoka or Japanese New Year, is celebrated every December 31. That is to say that this 2021 as in the rest of the world, It will be celebrated on December 31, which also falls on a Thursday.
What is celebrated in Omisoka and where is it celebrated?
As you now know, the last day of the year in Japan is called Ōmisoka (大晦日) while the traditional festival for the beginning of the new year is called Shōgatsu (正月) and is celebrated on January 1 of each year according to the Gregorian calendar.
In the years before the Meiji era, both New Year’s Eve and Japanese New Year were celebrated according to the Chinese calendar. Therefore, it was held together with China, Korea and Vietnam.
After the adoption of the Gregorian calendarstarting in 1873, the festival was moved to January 1 and Japan began to celebrate it with most of the nations of the world.
For the Japanese, the New Year and especially the New Year are very heartfelt holidays and for centuries they have been celebrated respecting the traditions of the country with religious rites and family customs that have always been repeated. Only Okinawa Prefecture preserves the old customs and even celebrates them according to the ancient calendar together with China, Korea and Vietnam.
omisoka rituals
The most popular ritual within the Omisoka celebration, is the cleaning of the house. But this is something that is not left to December 31 itself, but is prepared the previous days.
Thus, the house is cleaned of dust in a ritual called “susuharai”, and the “kadomatsu” is also made, a decoration with “pine trees” in which the gods are said to dwell, which is placed on both sides of the doors of the house. The kadomatsu is a sign for the gods so that they do not get lost when they arrive at our houses.
Another of the rites is the «shimenawa»which is a string used in Shinto rituals, too is placed above the front door to welcome the Toshigami-sama or God of the Year. In addition, the “Kagamimochi » (sweet rice cakes) are offered to the Toshigami-sama at the kamidana (a household altar to enshrine a god). If you pass by a Japanese house during the New Year, you will be able to see those shogatsu decorations.
The kadomatsu and shimenawa decorations must be ready and placed by December 28. It is thought that if these decorations are installed on the 29th, 30th or 31st (Omisoka), “the new year will be full of suffering” and that if they are prepared in one night for the arrival of Toshigami-sama “it lacks sincerity”.
Another of the customs or traditions that occur on the occasion of the end of the year in Japan is the «otoshidama»which is nothing else than give money to children and adolescentssimilar to when on Hanukkah Jewish children receive coins from their relatives.
Another custom is «nengajo» and consists of sending greeting cards to all friends and family. A tradition that is one of the most imposed on these dates despite technology. In fact, each Japanese year-end, the country’s postal service increases its staff to be able to distribute all the postcards that are sent.
How Omisoka is celebrated
The New Year’s Eve night (Omisoka) is usually spent with the familyeating and watching television, something similar to what is done in Spain every New Year’s Eve. In the case of Japan, it is also a tradition to watch a special program on the NHK channel that has been broadcast since 1951. It is called Kohaku Uta Gassen and it is an entertainment program in which various musical groups perform and compete against each other. The program is broadcast until midnight.
After midnight, Buddhist temples ring 108 bells, a symbolic event that “chases away” the 108 original sins of the Buddhist religion. There is also no lack of fireworks throughout the country and although many people already visit the temples at night, most reserve the first visit to the temple for January 1.
The arrival of the new year in Japan
Precisely, the most important event in the Japanese New Year is the “hatsumode”, which is the first visit to the temple. Tradition marks being dressed with a kimonoas well as praying for new wishes for the new year.