New Year S In Japan

In japan sunrise on new year s day is believed to have special supernatural powers and praying to the first sunrise of the year has become a popular practice since the meiji era 1868 1912.

New year s in japan. The japanese new year 正月 shōgatsu is an annual festival with its own customs. For many non japanese especially newcomers to japan many of the customs and traditions of new year may seem hard to understand. Even today crowds gather on mountaintops or beaches with good views of the sunrise to pray for health and family wellbeing in the new year.

Most businesses shut down from january 1 to january 3 and families typically gather to spend the days together. New year or oshogatsu is the most important holiday period in japan for families and it is rich in tradition. In japan greeting people with appropriate japanese words is very important.

New year s in japan is a huge deal filled with festivities and traditions. The japanese new year celebration is called shogatsu and new year s day is called gantan. Every year at the stroke of midnight on new year s eve buddhist temples all over japan ring their bonsho temple bells an even 108 times an event known as joya no kane this number represents the number of human desires which according to the buddhist faith lead to pain and suffering.

In japan the new year isn t just another holiday it is widely considered the most important. Just as it is in dozens of countries jan. Years are traditionally viewed as completely separate with each new year providing a fresh start.

New year 正月 shōgatsu is the most important holiday in japan. The new year in particular is the most important time of the year in japan equal to the christmas or the yuletide season in the west. Visiting japan during new year shogatsu is a once in a lifetime experience it is japan s most important national holiday even bigger than christmas it is a family affair where everyone gets together and exchanges gifts there are also many tourist attractions and fun things to do stores and restaurants are closed so getting around may be a bit of a challenge.

The new year is just around the corner. But here s where the similarities between japan and other countries drift apart. That s because christmas here is like halloween just another fun holiday without much traditional or cultural let alone religious significance the traditional winter holiday for the japanese is oshogatsu literally first month or new year.