New Year’s Eve – Oomisoka

The most important holiday for the Japanese is New Year’s Day.

Omisoka pronounced with a long “o” like – Oomisoka, is  ”New Year’s Eve”.

This entry will talk about December 31st,  and the preparation that come with it.

Let us take a few steps backwards, to further understand all these preparation,  we will learn a few new Japanese words.

Oosoji –  literally means – “big cleaning” – where most members of the family participate and clean their home.  Windows, verandas, doors, kitchen, toilets, bedrooms – every place “wiped and washed”  to welcome the new year.

Oosoji is also done in offices by the employees before the year ends. Their desks and rooms are cleaned to mark a fresh start when they go back to work after the New Year holidays.

This is usually done a few days before December 31st.

Nenga-jo or New Year cards are prepared and sent out earlier to make it on time for delivery on January 1st.

(You can read about it later at the article - Nenga-jo or New Year cards )

A few days before the New Year –  personally I  stock up our kitchen shelves with rice, soy sauce, mirin, sugar – whatever basic things I think we must have- with the hope and belief  that we will have all these throughout the year.

Families shop together for their New Year’s meal, and order their osechi-ryori. I will try to find time to write about it soon.

On the evening of the 31st, families have dinner together, and watch several television specials that are on until the countdown for the New Year.  Most popular of which is the NHK music show called Kouhaku Uta Gassen, where the most popular Japanese singers are chosen to perform on New Year’s Eve.   The title of the show, literally means, “Red and White Song Battle”-  it is an honor to be chosen to sing in this show, and to many this is a highlight in their career.  At the end of the show, the viewers choose which team has the best singers, the red or white team.  (Red and White are the colors for celebrations here in Japan.)

(I took the photo from my TV – thanks to the National Broadcasting Network – NHK)

Good timing huh?

Before midnight, temple bells all over Japan begin to toll.  Many people go to their nearest temple to hear the Joya no Kane, the temple bell tolling 108 times.   The ringing of the bell 108 times is meant to purify us from our 108 worldly desires.   Each ring represents a worldly desire. Generally, we are supposed to reflect on each desire- each time the bell rings… Whether the Japanese people still reflect on these 108 worldly desires is really up to them… the main point is to welcome the New Year quietly, and peacefully.

I personally prefer this.

While the others go to the temples, most people at their homes – will  eat the  Toshikoshi soba – “year bridging-noodles”  or “cross-the-year noodles” to welcome the New Year.   We have the  thin, long noodles – my husband told me – that this symbolizes – longevity.  Even if we will have difficult times (thin), we will still survive and live long.

Toshikoshi Soba with Tempura shrimps

The toshikoshi soba can either be served hot or cold.  We usually have it hot.  This year, I fried these tempura shrimps by myself.  It is important to be eating this noodles when New Year comes in.

Usually, after eating their toshikoshi soba, many people will go to the temples and shrines for Hatsumode.   This means the first visit of the year to a temple or a shrine.   Hatsumode starts at midnight – Oomisoka (New Year’s Eve)  to the first week of January.  People pray for their own intentions – mainly for safety, good health,  jobs, and good fortune for the new year.

The simple and serene way to welcome the New Year