What is Oshogatsu (New Year)?
In Japan, Oshogatsu (New Year or literally, !Enew month!E) is a very important celebration. It is a festive occasion typically spent with the family and evokes good feelings and nostalgia. It is more than just a day and, depending on the region, it may last anywhere from three days to a week starting January 1st. The Japanese New Year’s celebrations evolved out of rituals associated with the changes of season, which are of utmost importance in Japanese farming including tea farming. As with most Japanese traditions, Oshogatsu is full of ceremonial rituals and good food. One tradition involves ringing the end-of-the-year bell at a nearby Buddhist temple. The bell tolls 108 times representing leaving behind 108 worldly concerns of the old year. The last toll of the bell is struck at midnight, coinciding with the first few seconds of the New Year; thus a new beginning dawns, enabling the start of a prosperous and joyous year. In some regions, each day of the celebration involves its own s
