1. Winter Holidays in Japan! Japan celebrates several holidays in the winter. November 23 – Labor Thanksgiving Day A holiday for honoring labor. December 23 – Emperor’s Birthday The birthday of the current emperor is celebrated.

2. Winter Holidays in Japan! December 24-25 – Christmas Christmas is not a national holiday in Japan, but it is celebrated by many Japanese people. December 31 – New Year’s Eve

3. New Year in Japan! January 1 – New Year! This is the most important holiday in Japan. Most businesses close down from January 1 through January 3.

4. New Year in Japan! Years are traditionally viewed as completely separate, with each new year providing a fresh start. Because of this, all duties are supposed to be completed by the end of the year, while bonenkai parties (year forgetting parties) are held with the purpose of leaving the old year and troubles behind.

5. New Year in Japan! Homes and entrance gates are decorated with ornaments made of pine, bamboo and plum trees, and clothes and houses are cleaned.

6. New Year in Japan! On New Year’s eve, toshikoshi soba (buckwheat noodles) symbolizing longevity, are served. A more recent custom is watching the music show “kohaku uta gassen”, a popular television show featuring many of Japan’s most famous J-pop and enka singers in spectacular performances.

7. New Year in Japan! January 1 is a very important day, best started by viewing the new year’s first sunrise, which they believe represents the whole upcoming year. It is a day full of joy and free of stress and anger, while everything should be clean and no work should be done.

8. New Year in Japan! It is a tradition to visit a shrine or temple during shogatsu. The most popular temples and shrines, such as Toky’s Meiji Shrine, attract several million people during the three days. The large temple bells are rung at midnight.

9. New Year in Japan! Many kinds of special foods are served during shogatsu. They include osechi ryori, otoso (sweetened rice wine) and ozoni ( a soup with mochi). Osechi RyoriToshikoshi Soba

10. New Year in Japan! There are a few games traditionally played on New Year, like Hanetsuki (Japanese badminton) and takoage (kite flying).

11. New Year in Japan! A very popular custom is the sending of new Year’s cards, which are specially marked to be delivered on January 1. It is not uncommon for one person to send out several dozens of cards to friends, relatives and co-workers.

12. New Year in Japan! Celebrating the New Year in Japan New Year Morning in Japan