2014 is behind us and 2015 is here. The new year is once again upon us, which is always an occasion to celebrate in Japan. Though the country followed the Chinese lunar calendar up until 1873, the Japanese have been celebrating on the first of January ever since. An important day throughout Japan, New Year’s Day is marked with the following customs:
- Households hang straw rope by the entrances of their homes to ward off evil spirits.
- As the year turns, people laugh in an effort to ward away evil spirits.
- People go to temples to ring the bells 108 times.
- Shinto practitioners decorate their homes with bamboo and other green plants, signifying new life and honesty.
- People decorate their houses with paper lobsters, symbolizing age and endurance.
- People make and eat the Japanese sweet rice cake, mochi.
In Japan, the celebration of the new year lasts two weeks, so come and mark 2015 the Japanese way at our Bellevue Japanese restaurant.