When is the Japanese New Year?

January 1st to January 3rd.

The Japanese New Year refers to the New Year of the Yamato people in Japan and around the world. It is the most important festival of the year for the Yamato people, also known as the first month (しょうがつ, しょうがち). The first month was originally the first month of the lunar calendar. After the Meiji Restoration and the change to the Gregorian calendar, it was used to call January of the new calendar. As of January 31, it is called the first month.

The Japanese used to celebrate two New Years, namely New Year's Day and Spring Festival, which is similar to the situation in our country. Only in modern times did it change to celebrate the New Year. On New Year's Eve, the Japanese call it "New Year's Eve". On New Year's Eve, the Japanese also have the custom of keeping the year old. At midnight, the temple is filled with incense and the bells ring, often one hundred and eight times. It is said that this is because there is a sentence in the "Buddhist Sutra" that "when you hear the sound of the bell, your worries will be cleared." The Japanese believe that every knock will remove one trouble, and one hundred and eight strokes means the removal of all troubles. After the bell rings, people flock to shrines and temples, burn incense and worship Buddha, and tell fortunes by counting fortunes, which is called "chuyi" (meaning the first visit to worship). The Japanese call the first day of New Year's Day the "right day", and the first to third day of the first lunar month are called "Three He Days". On the morning of New Year's Day, the younger generation must first go to their parents to pay New Year greetings, and then go to the homes of relatives and friends to pay New Year greetings. The whole family, from the youngest to the oldest, drank Tusu wine in order, and finally tasted herring roe, black beans, and small dried fish boiled in slightly sweet soy sauce. These auspicious foods are said to bring prosperity to future generations. During the New Year, a straw rope or a circle made of straw rope is often pulled above the door of each household, which is called "Zhulian Rope" or "Zhulian Ornament". Some even put some pines and bamboos on them, which are called "kadomatsu". Newly designed and unique archways with pine, bamboo and plum trees are erected at the entrances of many company buildings and at street entrances to celebrate. People also paste paper cuttings of animals such as cranes and turtles that symbolize longevity inside and outside their homes to pray for peace.