節分 （Setsubun） Day of separating the season. It comes 4 times per year but Setsubun that separates winter and spring is considered as important. 鬼は外、福は内 （Oniwa soto, Fukuwa uchi） This is what you hear in the evening on 3rd February – meaning, ‘go away evil, come in fortune!’ Throwing the roasted soy beans (福豆 – Fukumame) towardContinue reading “3rd February – 如月”
Category Archives: Tradition
2nd February – 如月
恵方巻 （Ehoumaki）－ Fortune Sushi Roll Thick sushi roll with generally 7 different ingredients inside. Eat in the night of 節分(Setsubun) on February 3rd. Celebrating the new coming season and wishing for business prosperity. Every year in the early February, it falls in the separation period of season from winter to spring. This separation period is called 節分Continue reading “2nd February – 如月”
30th January – 睦月
富士山 （Fujisan）Mt. Fuji Active volcano with height 3776m. The highest mountain in Japan located between Shizuoka prefecture and Yamanashi prefecture. Mt. Fuji became the beautiful symmetry shape about 10,000 years ago due to the volcanic action. In the winter time it is closed but in the summer season, from early July till early September, people canContinue reading “30th January – 睦月”
22nd January – 睦月
正月遊び （Shougatsu-Asobi）No.3 かるた （Karuta） Karuta was originally came from Portugal, in Azuchimomoyama Era, one ship came to Japan and introduce the game called ‘ウンスンかるた(Unsun Karuta)’. Carta means ‘card’ in Portuguese. This game was popular among the nobility in Heian Era – was called 貝合わせ (Kai-awase) using the shells. Each shells were painted and written poetry, finding theContinue reading “22nd January – 睦月”
21st January – 睦月
正月遊び （Shougatsu-Asobi）No. 2 福笑い (Fukuwarai) Since Meiji period, it has been played, Fuku means happy, Warai stands for laugh in Japanese. Blindfolding one person and placing the face parts without looking. Eyes, eyebrows, nose and mouth… As people guess the position but it hardly be placed where it should. Because the face looks funny, it makeContinue reading “21st January – 睦月”
20th January – 睦月
正月遊び（Shougatsu-Asobi）No. 1 Traditional games that are played often in Oshougatsu time. In Japan, Many kids used to play traditional games in Oshougatsu time. However, because of many reasons including the advance of video games, nowadays people rarely play traditional games. Here are some of the extinguishing games: 羽根突き （Hanetsuki） Badminton-alike game. Can play solo or 2Continue reading “20th January – 睦月”
18th January – 睦月
達磨 （Daruma） Japanese traditional doll with weight at the bottom. In the Shougatsu time, people draw left eye on Daruma doll and make a wish. Then if the wish comes true, they draw the right eye on it. The doll with weight called 起き上り小法師 (Okiagari-koboshi) was originally made about 1400 years ago in China and itContinue reading “18th January – 睦月”
17th January – 睦月
松竹梅 （Shou-Chiku-Bai) Pine tree, bamboo and plum – the lucky symbols in Japan Have you ever seen those symbols in Japan? Probably you have! Not only for celebration, many shops such as Soba shops, Sushi shops use shou-chiku-bai to categorise memu. All 3 symbols are equally fortunate but in order to make difference in menu, shopsContinue reading “17th January – 睦月”
15th January – 睦月
小正月 （Koshougatsu） The period putting the New Years’ decoration at home, ends on 15th January. Koshougatsu is the day to send the home coming god 歳神様(Toshigami Sama) to the sky. Koshougatsu is the day to wish for the great harvest for the year. It is also known as 女正月(Onna-shougatsu), the resting day for the ladies whoContinue reading “15th January – 睦月”
13th January – 睦月
成人の日 - Seijin-no-hi The day to aware that one became an adult and decide to live independently. Celebration for the people who turn to be 20 in the year. Conducted on the second Monday on January. This year 2020, Seijin-no-hi falls in Monday 13th January and there will be many 18-19 years old girls and boys wearingContinue reading “13th January – 睦月”
Little Japan Dictionary 