The Nozawa Fire Festival is considered one of three great fire festivals in Japan. It is a three day event where a shrine is built and then burnt down!
Little New Year or Women’s New Year 小正月 こしょうがつ
The 15th of January is another New Year holiday known as Little New Year or Women’s New Year. Little New Year has many customs that vary widely across Japan and is roughly equivalent to the a Lantern Festival in China.
Kagami Biraki 鏡開き かがみびらき
Kagami Biraki is sometimes translated as “opening of the mirror” but these days “breaking of the mochi” is probably much more appropriate. The ceremonial mochi and barrels of sake offered to the gods at New Year are broken on January 11th. The housewarming kind of Kagami Biraki with a barrel of sake seems to be done just about anytime.
Toka Ebisu or Ebisu‘s Festival Day 十日戎 とおかえびす
Ebisu is a fishing god in western Japan and a fishing and agricultural god in eastern Japan. Ebisu Toka also is sometimes on January 20th, or in October.
First Day Ceremony for Japanese Firefighters : Dezomeshiki 出初め式
The First Day Ceremony for Japanese Firefighters is held January 6th of every year and welcomes Japanese firefighters back onto the job.
First Dream of the Year : Hatsuyume 初夢 はつゆめ
What Dreams May Come… For Hatsuyume! he first dream of the year is considered to be very auspicious of your luck for the rest of the year to come. Apparently …
Japanese New Year 元日 がにじつ
The Japanese New Year is a public holiday on January 1st. Throughout Japan people go to shrines and temples to have first of the year prayers.
OSeibo Or Japanese End of Year Gift Giving : お歳暮 おせいぼ
Gifts! But Not From Santa. OSeibo are gifts for the certain special business associate seibo is the Japanese end of year gift giving tradition usually of a subordinate to a …
Start of New Year’s Preparations in Japan 正月事始め しょうがつことはじめ
December 13th is the start of New Year’s preparations in Japan. On this day bills and loans are to be paid from the previous year and cleaning begins.
KamiMukae or Welcoming of the Gods | 神迎え かみむかえ
KamiMukae is a the welcoming time for all the gods of Japan, except Ebisu, to Izumo Taisha, in Shimane prefecture, for their all deity annual meeting.
