In this page, we will introduce basic annual events of Japan!
Enjoy comparing them with those of your country and find the differences between yours and Japanese ones!
Contents
1. January
1-1. Shogatsu
New Year is called “Shogatsu” and we call January 1 “Gan-zitsu” in Japanese.
Hatsumode
Hatsumode is the first visit to a Buddist temple or Shinto shrine in the new year.
During Hatsumode, people pray and wish for a good and happy year. In 2021, the Japanese government
said that people shouldn’t go to Hatsumode because of Covid-19. We hope we will be able to go to Hatsumode in the next new year!
Osechi-Ryori
Japanese New Year’s food is called “Osechi-Ryori”. On New Year’s Day,
we eat Japanese New Year’s food which is served as a variety of small dishes packed into tiered boxes.
Each dish has a meaning. For instance, black beans mean “diligence” and people eat them hoping
they will study or work hard in the year.
Otoshi-dama
Otoshi-dama is New Year’s monetary gift. On New Year’s day, Japanese children are usually given
Otoshidama by their relatives. They really look forward to Otoshi-dama every new year. The little envelope
in the picture is called “Pochi-bukuro” with Otoshi-dama inside it.
1-2. Seizin-Shiki
Seizin-Shiki means “coming of age ceremony”. This ceremony is held annually on the second Monday of January in hometowns. Women commonly wear the Japanese traditional Kimono and men wear suits or the traditional Hakama.
People who participate in Seizin-Shiki meet their old friends and enjoy the time with them taking pictures.
Mae-Dori
Mae-Dori means to take commemorative photos in a formal dress or Kimono in a studio before coming of age ceremony (“Mae” means “before”, “Dori” means “taking pictures”). These days, many people post and share their photos of Mae-Dori on Instagram or any SNS as well as making a photo album.
Tips
In Japan, people are considered adults at the age of 20. (In 2022, the age of adulthood will be lowered to 18 from 20.)
However, the legal age for drinking, smoking, and gambling will be still 20.
2. February
2-1. Setsubun
Setsubun is one of the most famous Japanese events to pray for family’s happiness and health. This is held on February 3rd or 4th.
On Setsu-bun day, people do Mame-maki and eat Eho-maki.
Mame-maki
On that day, people throw away beans saying “Oniwa soto, Fukuwa uchi”, which means “Bad luck out, Good Luck in” in English. This is called “Mame-maki” in Japanese.
Now the custom has changed. More and more people just eat beans for happiness and health instead of doing Mame-Maki.
Eho-maki
We eat Eho-Maki which is a big sushi roll on the Setsubun day. When eating Eho-Maki, you are supposed to eat quietly,
facing the year’s lucky direction.
2-2. Valentine’s Day
On Valentine’s day, February 14th, Japanese girls give chocolates to a boy.
Some girls give them to a boy she has a crush on and tell him that she likes him. That kind of chocolate is called “hon-mei choko”.
Giri-choko
Giri-choko is a chocolate which girls give a boy who she likes as a friend, classmate, or colleage.
Tomo-choko
Tomo-choko is a chocolate which girls give their girl friends. (Tomo means “friend”.)
3. March
3-1. Hina-Matsuri
Hina-Matsuri, the Festival of Dolls, is held on March 3rd. This festival is an event
to pray for young girls’ happiness and growth. The family who has a young daughter displays dolls called “Hina-ningyo” at home.
3-2. White Day
March 14th is White Day. On this day, Japanese boys give girls chocolates in return for the Valentine’s day.
4. April
4-1. Hanami
Hanami is a Japanese tradition to welcome spring. Hanami means “viewing flowers” and many people enjoy Hanami
with family or friends eating and drinking under cherry blossom trees in a park every spring.
However, because of COVID-19, many people couldn’t experience Hanami in 2020.
5. May
5-1. Golden Week
Golden Week is a series of various holidays, which normally starts on April 29th and ends on May 5th.
In this week, many people take a vacation and go on a trip! However, the government made a request
not to go outside during the week in 2020 because of covid-19.
5-2. Mother’s Day
As you know, many countries all around the world have Mother’s Day and Japan is no exception. Mother’s Day in Japan is on the second Sunday in May. Children are supposed to give their mothers carnations and letters to show their appreciation.
6. June
6-1. Father’s Day
Father’s Day in Japan is on the third Sunday in June. On that day, children give their fathers presents
such as ties and socks as well as letters to express their gratitude.
7. July
7-1. Tanabata
Tanabata is Japanese star festival held on July 7th. It is said that Altair (Hikoboshi in Japanese)
and Vega (Orihime in Japanese) usually separated meet on this day. Everyone writes a wish on a piece of paper
and they hang it on bamboo trees.
8. August
8-1. Obon
Obon is a period of traditional Japanese event to welcome the spirits of ancestors.
It is thought that at Obon, ancestral spirits come back from the afterlife and then return to it.
Obon is from August 13th to August 16th. During Obon holiday, people usually go back to their hometown and visit their family grave.
8-2. Fireworks Festival
Do you like fireworks? Many fireworks festivals are held in summer in all locations in Japan. In Tokyo, the Sumida river and Tokyo Bay fireworks festivals are extremely famous. To give an example, you can enjoy about 20 thousand fireworks, and about 950,000 people come to see them every year at the Sumida river fireworks festival.
There are a lot of food stalls at the venue of fireworks festival, so you usually enjoy fireworks having kakigori (Japanese shaved ice), or yakisoba(Japanese stir-fried noodles) and stuff like that.
Do you become interested in Japanese fireworks festival? Then, we’d like to share with you “fireworks calendar”. We say it “花火カレンダー” in Japanese, which helps you to easily know where and when a firework festival is going to be held. Click here to visit the calendar.
Currently almost all of the fireworks festivals have been canceled (in 2020-2021) because of COVID-19, so we hope we’ll be able to visit to see the festivals soon! And hope you find favorite one and like Japan more✨
10. October
10-1. Halloween
Japanese Halloween has developed into the original style after coming from abroad.
You can see many young people wearing various kinds of costumes. In particular, many people who live in Tokyo
tend to gather in Shibuya.
11. November
11-1. Shichi-Go-San
Shichi-Go-San is a Japanese traditional annual event held on November 15th to celebrate the growth and well-being of young children. This event is for girls at the age of 3(san) and 7(shichi), and boys at the age of 5(go). On that day, the girls wear a kimono or dress and the boys wear a hakama or suit. And then, the family take commemorative photos on studio and go to shrine.
12. December
12-1. Christmas
Christmas is not a national holiday in Japan. Not many people consider Christmas as a religious event.
It is more like festivity for couples and children. Santa Clauses give children presents on the morning of 25th. For example, I like Ultraman, Japanese hero who fight against monsters from space. I loved them so I used to get a monster figure called Jamila as a present of Christmas. For grown up adults, Christmas is a day we spend a time with someone we care for. Especially, couples have a nice diner and exchange presents.
12-2. Omisoka(New Year’s Eve)
December 31st, or New Year’s Eve is called Omisoka in Japanese. On that day, people usually eat Toshikoshi soba noodles with their family or friends.
Toshi-koshi-soba
Toshi-koshi-soba is a traditional noodle dish made from buckwheat which we eat on New Year’s Eve.
People eat this noodle to wish for a long and happy life as well as good fortune.
Joya-no-Kane
Joya-no-Kane means “New Year’s Eve Bell” in English. Temples in Japan ring the bells 108 times at midnight to get rid of worldly desires.
Red and White Singing Contest
Red and White Singing Contest is one of the Japanese TV music shows broadcasted on every New Year’s Eve.
Many people spend Omisoka watching this TV show. In 2020’s contest, our favorite singer, Koji Tamaki sang a song. That was impressive and I felt I could have the great new year.
Header Photo by hiroku yamashiro on Unsplash