Omisoka
Encyclopedia
, New Year's Eve
, is the second-most important day in Japanese tradition
because it is the final day of the old year and the eve of New Year's Day
, which is the most important day of the year.
People tend to be very busy on Ōmisoka because they have much to do to prepare for the new year, and New Year's Day in particular. Many even do a thorough house cleaning, called ōsōji . The exercise is much like the annual spring cleaning
that people in most colder climates do and even involves changing the paper on shōji
doors and setting tatami
mats out to air in the sun. Similarly, on the final day of school before winter break, elementary school children do their own ōsōji to get their schools ready for the new year, and most businesses spend the year's final work day cleaning. The purpose of all this is to get ready to welcome in the new year with everything—including people's minds and bodies—in a fresh, clean state, making everything ready for the new beginning that New Year's Day is held to signify.
After cleaning, Japanese have the largest dinner of the year. Around 11:00 pm on Ōmisoka at home, people often gather for one last time in the old year to have a bowl of toshikoshi-soba
or toshikoshi-udon
together—a tradition based on people's association of eating the long noodles with “crossing over from one year to the next,” which is the meaning of toshi-koshi. While the noodles are often eaten plain, or with chopped scallion
s, in some localities people top them with tempura
. Traditionally, families make Osechi
for new year day because cooking during the first 3 days of the new year is not a good thing for Kami of kitchens
. But nowadays, most of families buy Osechi or cook ordinary dishes.
At midnight, many visit a shrine
or temple
for Hatsumōde
.
Another regular feature of Ōmisoka starts at 7:30 pm when public broadcaster NHK
airs Kōhaku Uta Gassen
("Red vs White singing contest"), one of the country's most-watched television programs. Popular singers (and singing groups) split into two teams, women in the red team and men in the white, which then alternate while competing for the audience's heart throughout the evening. At around 11:30 pm, the final singer (or group) sings, and the audience and a panel of judges are asked to cast their votes to decide which team sang better. The winning team gets a trophy and "the winners' flag." The program ends at about 11:45 pm. Programming then switches to coverage of midnight celebrations around the country.
Throughout Japan, Shinto shrines prepare amazake
to pass out to crowds that gather as midnight approaches. Most have a large cast bell (see bonshō for photos) that is struck once for each of the 108 earthly desires believed to cause human suffering.
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
, is the second-most important day in Japanese tradition
Japanese calendar
On January 1, 1873, Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar. Before 1873, the Chinese style lunisolar calendar had been in use since 7th century. Japanese eras are still in use.-System:...
because it is the final day of the old year and the eve of New Year's Day
Japanese New Year
The is one of the most important annual festivals, with its own unique customs, and has been celebrated for centuries. Due to the importance of the holiday and the preparations required, the preceding days are quite busy, particularly the day before, known as Ōmisoka.The Japanese New Year has been...
, which is the most important day of the year.
People tend to be very busy on Ōmisoka because they have much to do to prepare for the new year, and New Year's Day in particular. Many even do a thorough house cleaning, called ōsōji . The exercise is much like the annual spring cleaning
Spring cleaning
Spring cleaning is the period in spring time set aside for cleaning a house, normally applied in climates with a cold winter.The most common usage of spring cleaning refers to the yearly act of cleaning a house from top to bottom which would take place in the first warm days of the year typically...
that people in most colder climates do and even involves changing the paper on shōji
Shoji
In traditional Japanese architecture, a shōji is a door, window or room divider consisting of translucent paper over a frame of wood which holds together a lattice of wood or bamboo...
doors and setting tatami
Tatami
A is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Traditionally made of rice straw to form the core , with a covering of woven soft rush straw, tatami are made in standard sizes, with the length exactly twice the width...
mats out to air in the sun. Similarly, on the final day of school before winter break, elementary school children do their own ōsōji to get their schools ready for the new year, and most businesses spend the year's final work day cleaning. The purpose of all this is to get ready to welcome in the new year with everything—including people's minds and bodies—in a fresh, clean state, making everything ready for the new beginning that New Year's Day is held to signify.
After cleaning, Japanese have the largest dinner of the year. Around 11:00 pm on Ōmisoka at home, people often gather for one last time in the old year to have a bowl of toshikoshi-soba
Soba
is the Japanese name for buckwheat. It is synonymous with a type of thin noodle made from buckwheat flour, and in Japan can refer to any thin noodle . Soba noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or in hot broth as a noodle soup...
or toshikoshi-udon
Udon
is a type of thick wheat-flour noodle of Japanese cuisine.Udon is usually served hot as noodle soup in its simplest form as kake udon, in a mildly flavoured broth called kakejiru which is made of dashi, soy sauce , and mirin. It is usually topped with thinly chopped scallions...
together—a tradition based on people's association of eating the long noodles with “crossing over from one year to the next,” which is the meaning of toshi-koshi. While the noodles are often eaten plain, or with chopped scallion
Scallion
Scallions , are the edible plants of various Allium species, all of which are "onion-like", having hollow green leaves and lacking a fully developed root bulb.-Etymology:The words...
s, in some localities people top them with tempura
Tempura
], is a Japanese dish of seafood or vegetables that have been battered and deep fried.-Batter:A light batter is made of cold water and soft wheat flour . Eggs, baking soda or baking powder, starch, oil, and/or spices may also be added...
. Traditionally, families make Osechi
Osechi
Osechi-ryōri are traditional Japanese New Year foods. The tradition started in the Heian Period . Osechi are easily recognizable by their special boxes called jūbako , which resemble bentō boxes...
for new year day because cooking during the first 3 days of the new year is not a good thing for Kami of kitchens
Kitchen God
In Chinese folk religion and Chinese mythology, the Kitchen God, named Zao Jun or Zao Shen , is the most important of a plethora of Chinese domestic gods that protect the hearth and family with the addition of being celebrated...
. But nowadays, most of families buy Osechi or cook ordinary dishes.
At midnight, many visit a shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
or temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
for Hatsumōde
Hatsumode
is the first shrine visit of the New Year in Japan. Some people visit a Buddhist temple instead. Many visit on the first, second, or third day of the year as most are off work on those days. Generally, wishes for the new year are made, new o-mamori are bought, and the old ones are returned to the...
.
Another regular feature of Ōmisoka starts at 7:30 pm when public broadcaster NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
airs Kōhaku Uta Gassen
Kohaku Uta Gassen
, more commonly known as simply Kōhaku, is an annual music show on New Year's Eve produced by Japanese public broadcaster NHK and broadcast on both television and radio, nationally and internationally by NHK's networks and some overseas broadcasters which bought the program...
("Red vs White singing contest"), one of the country's most-watched television programs. Popular singers (and singing groups) split into two teams, women in the red team and men in the white, which then alternate while competing for the audience's heart throughout the evening. At around 11:30 pm, the final singer (or group) sings, and the audience and a panel of judges are asked to cast their votes to decide which team sang better. The winning team gets a trophy and "the winners' flag." The program ends at about 11:45 pm. Programming then switches to coverage of midnight celebrations around the country.
Throughout Japan, Shinto shrines prepare amazake
Amazake
is a traditional sweet, low-alcoholic Japanese drink made from fermented rice. Amazake dates from the Kofun period, and it is mentioned in the Nihon Shoki. It is part of the family of traditional Japanese foods made using that includes miso, soy sauce, and sake....
to pass out to crowds that gather as midnight approaches. Most have a large cast bell (see bonshō for photos) that is struck once for each of the 108 earthly desires believed to cause human suffering.
Greetings
When seeing someone for the last time before the new year, it is conventionally to say 良いお年を (yoi o-toshi wo), "Have a good New Year"; once the new year has started and one sees someone again for the first time, one instead says a greeting such as 明けましておめでとう (akemashite o-medetō) "Happiness on the opening (of a new year)".Etymology
Widely unknown even in Japan is the etymology of the word Ōmisoka. The kanji 晦 written as 三十 (mi-so) means 30, mi-so-ka (Kanji 晦日) refers to the 30th and last day of a month in the ancient lunar calendar. The prefix Ō (大) makes it a comparative, so it's the last of the last days of the month. The word miso itself derives from the original numeric system in Japanese: mi is the traditional word for 3, also still found in some counter word compounds such as mittsu (三つ), while the suffix -so used to be added to native numerals, thus 30 would be mi + so. In modern Japanese, Chinese loans are used instead, and 30 is pronounced san-jū (さんじゅう, "three-ten").External links
- Ushering in the New Year Kids Web Japan