Originally (before Europeans stumbled in that is), Japan, Korean, China and Vietnam all celebrated the New Year according to the Chinese Calender by heading out to watch the magnificent dancers parade around in dragon apparel, weaving there way around the bustling streets of china town. Of course this is still vastly popular although other celebrations can be witnessed whilst at one of the many temples of Japan- though there is a possibility that you wouldn't be able to see much through the mass of bodies, young and old, praying for the fortune and health of themselves and those close to them throughout the year. The more western approach of just having a quite day in or a booze(aka.beer)-filled party can also be seen...
Just like the west, New years starts with a thorough cleaning of the house, at the very end of December and broken or things are replaced or thrown into file B1N until around the 3th, 5th, or 7th day of Japan. But unlike our boring lazy day if watching movies and getting stuffed/drunk, Japanese new year requires specific 'things' to do at specific times of day- for example; the decorations that have to be put up and taken down must be of symbolic value and contain references to longevity, prosperity, happiness, ect. The food eaten is often a little sweet, but has changed over the years to be more universal (but still no Sunday roast unfortunately).
In all honesty, Japan technically sports around 3 different new years celebrations and dates. Before China introduced their lunar calender, which saw a 'new moon' as the start of all things new, Japan believed the full moon was the start of new things. Instead of the first day of the January, little new year, or Koshougatsu, can be marked on our Calender around mid February (aka. Roughly the 15th day of the first lunar month). Unfortunately, Koshougatsu, like most traditions, is quickly dying out but can be observed in the baron parts of Japan's countryside.
So how long does the public holiday last for?
Even though the holiday is primarily on the first day of January, workers and businesses usually avoid work until the 4th! Except the poor postman who has to deliver a bulk load of new years card. Well as we're on this line; its best to send your New years cards between early December to around the end of December just so that they're guaranteed to arrive on the day! No kidding. At the sorting office, packages would be marked "Nengajou" and students are employed part time to get every single card delivered on the day!
New years Food (osechi) dictionary;
Konbu (boiled seaweed)
Kamaboko (fish cakes)
Kurikinton (mashed sweet potato with chestnut OoO)Kinpira gobou (simmered burdock root)
Kuromame (sweetened black soy bean)
Ozoni (soup with mochi (rice cake) as well as other ingredients )
The reason for these sort of dishes is due to those wonderful old times when there was no such thing as a refrigerator and stores closed during the holidays. However, like all thing Japanese, foods eaten in one region will be totally different to the next or may even be considered "unlucky"!
On the 7th day of the celebration, a 7-herb soup is prepared and eaten to settle the stomach from all the celebrating
A whole blog could be written on New years and all its traditions, but as I'm lazy and this is only a small blog, this is all for now. If you want to find out more, try googling 'daidai'(the decorative mochi), something about the 108 bell chimes rung at midnight on December 31st to symbolize the 108 sins in Buddhism, Otoshidama (those awesome envelopes of money), or just wikipedia it all!
