What Japanese people do at the end of the year ?
- Osouji (cleaning house) primary schools also perform Osouji before they go into their winter vacation
- Write Nengajo (Japanase New Year's Card)
Conventional nengajo greetings -> 今年もよろしくお願いします (Kotoshimo yoroshiku onegai-shimasu): I hope for your favor again in the coming year - Bonenkai parties (parties to forget about the year)
- Send Oseibo (end of the year gifts)
- Place kadomatsu (made of pine boughs, bamboo and straw and said to have the power to attract good fortune) on either side of the front entrance
- Over the door is hung a shimekazari, a decoration which has a power to bring happiness and to ward off evil spirits.
- Put Kagami Mochi in front of their household Shinto altar. Two rice cakes, the smaller on top of the larger one, and a daidai as a good omen are the usual parts of Kagami Mochi. The two mochi pieces represent the going and the coming years.
- Around 11 pm, eating Toshikoshi Soba, as a symbol of crossing over from one year to the next.
- A few minutes before midnight, people gather at the temple to hear the bell strucking. The bell strucks 108 times to purify the people from their 108 earthly passions.
- Adults give Otoshidama (new year money gift) to children.
Greetings:
- At the end of the year -> 良いお年を (yoi o-toshi wo) : Have a good New Year
- At new year -> 明けましておめでとう (akemashite o-medetō) : Happiness on the opening (of a new year)
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