Japanese New Year Animals

Unlike chinese korean or vietnamese new year japanese celebrate their new year on january 1.

Japanese new year animals. 2019 was the year of the boar which is why pictures of pigs were everywhere in japan around the new year. This is made before new year s day and eaten during the beginning of january. The first day of january became the official new year s day since five years after the meiji restoration.

2020 is the year of the rat nezumi doshi in japanese so any cards and talismans with illustrations of mice nezumi and hedgehogs harinezumi are considered auspicious this year. Mochi is made into a new year s decoration called kagami mochi formed from two round cakes of mochi with a tangerine daidai placed on top. History says until 1873 during the meiji era 1868 1912 celebration of the japanese new year was based on the chinese lunar calendar.

The japanese custom of sending written new year s greetings dates back to at least the heian era 794 1185 when the nobility started to write such letters to people who lived too far away for the usual face to face new year greetings. Rat ox tiger rabbit dragon snake horse sheep monkey rooster dog and boar or pig. Dragon tatsu born 2000 1988 1976 1964 1952 1940 1928 1916.

It s a chance for families to not only reflect on the past year and their dreams for the future but also to spend time together catch up cook eat and play games. Discover both modern and traditional japanese new year s traditions. The 12 japanese birth year animals in contrast to the chinese system the japanese zodiac includes the mouse instead of the rat the wild boar instead of the pig and the sheep instead of the goat.

Birth year animal kokeshi dolls from the japanese shop. The name daidai is supposed to be auspicious since it means several generations bell ringing. However they are honest sensitive brave and can inspire trust in most anyone.

It was introduced in korea in the 600s and then in japan by chinese buddhist monks. In japan everyone immediately knows the twelve animals of the chinese zodiac. When japan s postal service followed europe s lead and created postcards in 1871 they were the perfect.