New Year of Japan and it is a period for change, reconciliation and important family customs. While people in many countries celebrate New Year through fireworks and parties, Japanese New Year is more solemn and traditional with origins dated back to the Heian period. From cleaning houses to eating special foods, Japanese New Year is a combination of traditions and history which will let the guests of Japan feel the spirit of the country.
To families in Japan, the New Year’s day is a time to be with loved ones, say thank you and embrace the coming year in a positive way. Temples and shrines are filled with active celebrations, streets are decorated with traditional ornaments, and food smells like New Year dishes. This period is not only about starting a new year calendar but also strengthening the ties within a community and asking for health, happiness and wealth.
For anyone who is travelling to Japan during this enchanting time, it is useful to be aware of these family customs. It may be your first time or even the second time, to apply for a Japan Visa from Dubai is the first step towards learning these wonderful cultures and start the year with a different experience.
If you are going to apply for a Japan Visa from Dubai, this guide will allow you to have a sneak peek on the fascinating family culture that awaits you.
1. Omisoka (New Year’s Eve Preparations)
Omisoka is about purification and renewal. Families clean their houses to remove all the dirt from the previous year and to let good things come in the new year. This practice is called ōsōji and has the meaning of purification and new beginning. After cleaning up, families partake of toshikoshi soba (year-crossing noodles) in order to symbolise longevity.
2. Hatsumode or the first shrine visit
Hatsumode is the first shrine visit of the year, which is quite popular among the Japanese families. In the New Year, people go to Shinto shrines to ask for a healthy, happy, prosperous year. Big shrines such as Meiji Jingu in Tokyo are always crowded, which gives a charged and sacred atmosphere.
3. Otoshidama (Gift-Giving Tradition)
For children, the New Year is not complete without otoshidama which are money contained in an envelope. These envelopes are presented to children by parents, relatives and close family friends as symbols of good tidings. It is a tradition every child is excited to, though the amount depends on the age of the child.
4. Kadomatsu and Shimenawa: New Year’s Decorations
The Japanese homes and commercial buildings are decorated with kadomatsu (pine and bamboo) and shimenawa (sacred straw rope) to summon gods of prosperity and to ward off evils. The decorations that are used also have some deep meaning; pine is associated with longevity and bamboo with prosperity.
5. Osechi Ryori (Traditional New Year Foods)
Food is especially important during the Japanese New Year season and families make and consume osechi ryori. This is a traditional meal where foods are neatly packed in small lacquered boxes and each food represents a certain New Year’s wish such as prosperity, good health or happiness. Sweet black beans (kuromame) are bought for hard work while herring roe (kazunoko) for fertility.
6. Nengajo (New Year’s Greeting Cards)
Exchange of nengajo is very popular in Japan both as a sender and as a receiver. These New Year greeting cards are usually sent to friends, family and working partners, and are usually accompanied by thank you messages and well wishes. The cards are sent on the 1st of January making it a joyful New Year’s gift.
Make Your New Year’s Trip to Japan
This is a good way to go on a journey into Japanese culture and feel the traditions with your own skin. It could be the first taste of osechi ryori or watching the liveliness of hatsumode, the New Year is the best time to go. Applying for a Japan Visa from Dubai is therefore very easy for all travelers in the UAE. Check your travel itinerary and discover the great Japanese New Year cultural practices.
Conclusion
Being an integral part of Japan’s New Year celebration is one of the most exciting experiences of welcoming the year. Enjoying the taste of osechi ryori to watching hatsumode, these traditions give a very real look into the Japanese culture and how it operates. This makes this season one of the best times to visit the Land of the Rising Sun due to the warmth of the family, spiritual rejuvenation and holiday mood.
A Japan Visa is the key to this festival for any traveler planning on setting foot in Japan from Dubai. From visiting beautiful shrines to observing details of New Year’s house decorations or sharing the happiness of Japanese new year greetings, your trip will not be a typical travel experience. Start your New Year with a purposeful travel to Japan and make your vacation a memory to cherish for a lifetime.