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Japanese New Year: January
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In ancient times, the Japanese New Year (shogatsu) followed the same lunisolar calendar as Chinese or Korean New Year (at the beginning of spring). Now January 1st is fixed as New Year's Day for Japan. It is one of the most important festivals of the whole year. New Year's Day is a traditional festival which has been celebrated for centuries and has its own unique customs.
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In addition to its social purposes, O-Shogatsu, or the New Year, is a time of renewal and as such it is marked by numerous ceremonies. By tradition, for example, storekeepers on the second day of the New Year have a ceremony known as Hatsuni, when the first merchandise of the year is delivered and stocked. Another traditional event on January 2 is Kaizome, or the ceremony of the first calligraphic writing drawn with a brush. Yet another tradition is that Hatsu-Yume, or first dream. The commencement of a things is celebrated on January 2.
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The Lunar New Year occurs sometime in late January or early February. The entire lunar zodiac cycle is sixty years, and combines the five elements of metal, water, wood, fire, and earth, plus yin and yang energy. In addition to years and months, days and hours of the day ... have special characteristics. Some Japanese calendars offer this information, but most modern Japanese don't understand the complex system.
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The Japanese celebrate the New Year in a big way. The official New Year falls on January 1st... in actuality the season itself runs from the 31st of December through the 3rd of January.
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Oshogatsu is the Japanese New Year. Japan has adopted the solar calendar since 1873 and the New Year celebration starts on January 1. However, in rural Japan, villagers continue to follow the lunar calendar and Oshogatsu is the Lunar New Year.
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"Osechi ryori" is what most people in Japan eat at the beginning of the new year. Regardless of how many times you splurge at Nobu, osechi isn't something you'll ever find on a Japanese menu. Its time and place are the first few days in January, in the Japanese home.
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