おおみそか
(New Year's Eve)
Buddhist temples throughout Japan toll
a bell 108 times on New Year's Eve. This is called
じょやのかね
and it starts just before
midnight. Many people visit a temple for
じょやのかね, then stay there for
the New Year prayer called
はつもうで.
Why 108 times? According to Buddhism, there are 108 different types
of earthly desires and it is believed that you can leave
these desires behind and have a happy New Year by
tolling a bell 108 times. |
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Site 13 |
People tolling the bell
at a temple on New Year's eve. (Website of Eigenji, a
Buddhist temple) |
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Site 14 |
おおみそか/はつもうで
photos at a Buddhist temple (Website
of Zendoji, a Buddhist temple) |
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Site 15 |
Virtual
じょやのかね.
To toll, click on the horizontal log next to the bell.
You need "Shockwave" plug-in.
(Website of Jodo-shu, a Buddhist denomination) |
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Site
16 |
This web page will give
you a brief explanation of
じょやのかね
in Japanese. (Website of Echizenya, a Buddhist altar
manufacturer) |
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| New
Year - お正月（おしょうがつ） |
はつもうで
is the biggest
activity during the three days of New Year. Temples and
shrines are crowded with visitors. |
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Site 17 |
A series of
photos of a
はつもうで
visit to Kawasaki Daishi Temple in Kawasaki.
(a
personal homepage
"Y&U") |
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Site 18 |
A chronological series of great photos
throughout New Year's Eve and the following day
(じょやのかね
and
はつもうで)
at the website of Rokugo Shinto in Southern Tokyo. You
can click on each photo to enlarge it. There are three
pages for the series, so make sure to click on
"次へ→(Next
page)" at the page bottom. The online tool "Rikai"
works on this site as well if you have difficulty
reading the captions. |
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おせちりょうり
is special New Year food
consisted of many different dishes. Each dish has a
meaning (such as wishing for happiness). People usually
spend two to three days to prepare it all but nowadays
the entire feast can be purchased. |
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Site 19 |
Good explanations of
おせちりょうり
with recipes in English.
Great site.
("about.com" website) |
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Site 20 |
Beautiful photos of
おせちりょうり.
Click on each photo to have a look at separate food
items.
("E・レシピ" website) |
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Site 21 |
This Wikipedia
page tells you what the each dish of
おせち
means in English.
Click here for the page in Japanese. |
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Site 22 |
おぞうに is also a
typical New Year food, a soup with
おもち in
it. It's cooked in different ways depending on the
region. This web page shows different
おぞうに
from different places.
("Chimeian" website) |
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おとしだま
-
Kids in Japan receive
おとしだま
(usually cash) from parents, relatives and visitors
during New Year. It is the Japanese equivalent of
Christmas presents, and is given in a special envelope
(click
here for a catalogue of envelopes at he 楽天/Rakuten
website).
This "Goo
Ranking" page tells you how much money Japanese
parents give their child(ren)
as おとしだま.
Surprisingly, 3,000 yen is the most common amount. Do
you think it's a lot?
According to a
survey
in 2002 by Shogakkan,
a publishing company, the average total
amount primary kids received was
￥23,777
(approx. $200). |
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たこあげ
and other traditional New Year activities
for children
- There are some traditional
activities kids and adults do particularly during the
New Year in Japan (maybe not any more).
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Site 23 |
Online catalogue of Japanese style kites.
(website of "Wind Love", a kite manufacturer) |
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Site 24 |
Web page of a New Year
Calligraphy Competition at a community centre in Isesaki,
Gunma Pref.
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Site 25 |
How to make "Wadako (Japanese style
kite)" with Illustrated instructions. (KHV TV website)
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