Oshougatsu! (Happy New Year!)

This post is out of order, but I think people would much rather read about New Years on New Years.  Since I'm 14 hours ahead, this will work out.  Maybe later in the week I'll continue my blogging spree by taking a few steps back and write about November and December.

I didn't realize it until researching Japanese New Year festivities, but apparently we started celebrating last Friday, when we went to Tokyo to listen to the Japan Philharmonic Symphony perform Beethoven's Ninth.   I read that it is the traditional performance of the holiday.  Amanda, Bryan and I got all dressed up and headed to Suntory Hall in Roppongi (Tokyo) for the night.  I'm just now realizing that we didn't get any picture of all 3 of us together :-(    My pic with Amanda was all blurry too.  Sorry Amanda!!

Please note how vibrant Bryan's green shirt is.  Japanese typically dress in black and white for  more formal occasions, especially the men.  The symphony was no exception and Bryan could be easily spotted from across the hall.  

We had reservations for dinner at a tapas restaurant, but Google Maps failed us.  At first this was a disappointment, but after we found Wayang Bali, we were happy.  We ordered some spring rolls, chicken and shrimp satay, coconut curry beef, and my favorite, Balinese curry.    It was a delicious reminder of our trip to Bali!

The restaurant was located inside of the Izumi Garden Tower.  Most buildings have New Years decorations up, and just like Christmas, the bigger the building, the bigger the decorations.  This particular is different than most because it's so  colorful with the orchids.   They almost always include bamboo though.  

Last night, actual New Year's Eve, we started the night with our friends James and Rachel and Kain.  We had dinner with them at their house and then played a new-to-me game, Dix-It.  I was apprehensive at first, but we all really enjoyed it.   

We left their house around 9:30 to make our way to Zama, one of the nearby cities to visit a shrine at midnight.  We met up with friends at the train station and it took us several tries and an hour or so of walking, but we eventually did find the shrine where the festivities were taking place.  Here is info on the holiday from Japan Guide.com:

If you are in Japan during New Year, you can join the crowds doing hatsumode, the year's first visit to a shrine or temple. Hatsumode festivities are held at practically every shrine and temple across Japan.
At popular shrines and temples you can experience a festive atmosphere with food stands and many people lining up for a prayer at the main hall, purchasing lucky charms for a fortunate new year and disposing their lucky charms of the past year. Most atmospheric is a visit to a temple around midnight on New Year's eve, when the temple's bell is rung repeatedly.
Some of the most popular shrines and temples, such as Tokyo's Meiji Shrine, Kyoto's Fushimi Inari Taisha, Osaka's Sumiyoshi Taisha and Kamakura's Tsuruoka Hachimangu each attract more than a million visitors over the first few days of the new year. Expect to line up for more than an hour at the more popular hatsumode sites in order to reach the offering hall for a prayer.

We didn't attend one of those listed above, but it was the most popular in the area and it was fun to experience.

Here's what Wikipedia says about visiting a Shinto shrine (the third step is what you will see people in line for):

Any person may visit a shrine and one need not be Shinto to do this. Doing so is called Omairi. Typically there are a few basic steps to visiting a shrine.

• At any entrance gate, bow respectfully before passing through.

• If there is a hand washing basin provided, perform Temizu: take the dipper in your right hand and scoop up water. Pour some onto your left hand, then transfer the dipper to your left hand and pour some onto your right hand. Transfer the dipper to your right hand again, cup your left palm, and pour water into it, from which you will take the water into your mouth (never drink directly from the dipper), silently swish it around in your mouth (do not drink), then quietly spit it out into your cupped left hand (not into the reservoir). Then, holding the handle of the dipper in both hands, turn it vertically so that the remaining water washes over the handle. Then replace it where you found it.

• Approach the shrine; if there is a bell, you may ring the bell first (or after depositing a donation); if there is a box for donations, leave a modest one in relation to your means; then bow twice, clap twice, and hold the second clap with your hands held together in front of your heart for a closing bow after your prayers.

• There is variation in how this basic visitation may go, and depending on the time of year and holidays there may also be other rituals attached to visitations.

The entrance to the shrine.

We tried out hands at ringing the bell.  It had a nice deep sound to it and if hit hard enough, it can be heard throughout the area.  You have to pull the log back by holding on to the rope and let it swing up to hit the bell.  It's tricky!  

This is the end of the aisle of vendors, both food and games.

Okonomiyaki!  Mariko taught us how to make this (see July's entry on it), but it's basically octopus and seasonings in a dough ball that is cooked in those black circle molds on the left.  

Yakisoba!  I've tried this at a few festivals and a baseball game.  I always have high hopes and it's just okay.  

Everyone is in line to pray at midnight.  People got in line much earlier, but no prayers were said until midnight.   Once midnight struck, the line moved very quickly.  Everything in Japan is done very efficiently (except amusement parks)  and this is no exception. This is not the time for your long and drawn out prayers.  Hundreds or maybe even thousands of people are waiting their turn behind you! 

  Ryan Secrest and his huge sparkly ball didn't make an appearance, but these ladies helped with the countdown.  Ju! Kyu! Hachi! Nana! Roku! Go! Yon! San! Ni! Ichi!  Oshougatsu!!!

A dad teaching his son Shinto practices.  I think the ropes have bells attached to them.  

Not a normal train scene in Japan!! We left the shrine shortly after midnight, so most people were at the shrines or at home, not on the trains.  We almost had the whole car to ourself.  

Another Japanese tradition that I participated in was fukubukuro, or New Years Day gift bag shopping.  Most major stores and malls offer a combination of their products bundled in a gift bag for a big discount.  Some are open, so you can see what you're buying, but some are shut and a surprise.  For clothing they often have the sizes marked on the bags.  Some stores have multiple bags to offer at a variety of prices.  Not all stores offer the bags, but if they're open, then they most likely they are having a big sale.

For $30 I got 7 bath bombs at Lush, a heavenly smelling store.  They came sealed in the pink box, so I knew it was bath products, but I wasn't exactly sure which ones.  I also got a wallet for 60% off and a pretty matching wooden box and mirror set for 70% off.

Fukubukuro can come in a variety of packaging.  This one is in a re-useable bag.  I saw others that were wrapped in clear plastic, paper gift bags, wicker baskets, and even suitcases.   The sports stores offer nice duffle bags full of stuff.  

Here is one at a store that reminds me of Sephora.

These are good deals!

Bryan did not go shopping.  Instead he did his favorite thing, ski!  He didn't just go to some random ski resort, he went to Hakuba Happo-One in Nagano.  It was a venue for the 1998 Olympics, so it of course offers some amazing runs.  I didn't want to go since the bus left at 4am (just a few hours after we got home from the shrine), but I'm on the wait list for the next trip in 2 weeks.

Bryan sent me this picture.  I think this is his favorite kind of skiing--not crowded, wondering through a back path.  He said it was far too cloudy to get a decent shot from one of the peaks.

Now that I'm done with this, I'm going to continue my new guilty pleasure Netflix show, The Carrie Diaries.  Thanks for the recommendation, Kristin!  So far, so good!  Anyone else a fan?  

  We miss you all back home and would love to hear how you spent your holiday!