Celebrating 2009, the Year of the Bull!

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~January 1st and 11th~
In Japan New Years (正月 shōgatsu) is a major holiday full of traditions. “Firsts” of the year are very important. Watching the first sun rise (Hatsuhinode 初日の出), the first temple visit of the year (Hatsumoude 初詣), first tea ceremony, work day, shopping day, etc, etc. Food is also, of course, very important during New Years. People eat specific dishes that vary by region called osechi-ryouri (お節料理) to bring in the New Year. Also it is customary for everyone to send friends, family, co-workers and acquaintances New Years cards(年賀状 nengajou). A similar custom to Christmas cards in the west, but taken much more seriously.
Considering that this would probably be the only New Years I experienced in Japan I wanted to soak up as much of the cultural experience as possible. On New Years Eve two friends of mine, Mariko and Naomi, joined Simon and I at my apartment for Nabe (a type of Japanese meal commonly eaten in winter), fugu (poisonous blow fish that has to be carefully prepared), games and drinks. The next day we went to Kompira Shrine in Kotohira for hatsumoude, the first temple visit of the New Year. In Kotohira city we stopped at an udon place that I love to partake of a steaming bowl of noodles before our hike up the mountain. The temple steps were crowded with numerous people also there to celebrate hatsumoude. At the largest shrine in the complex there were special stalls set up for New Years that you could purchase omikuji, good luck charms, for the New Year. I purchased a sacred arrow for prosperity and protection in the New Year. On the way back down the multitude of steps we stopped at another yatai (festival stall) that was selling a special warm, gingery rice drink that people enjoy only around new years. During the first day of 2009 we also ate mochi and soba which are traditional foods for the New Years.
On January 11th I went to IPAL (the international cultural exchange center) in Takamatsu for a New Years festival there. I had signed up the week before with Katie to be a kimono model at the fashion show during the festival. Katie and I got to IPAL at 10 am to get dressed up in kimonos. I thought it was going to be a fairly simple deal, but they styled our hair and put us in colorful furisode kimonos (the long sleeved kimonos worn by unmarried women on very special occasions). The women were very skilled in kimono fashion and every one of the models had different ties on our obis (belt worn around the waist) and styles for our hair. The festival started at 1pm and we got to eat food and socialize for an hour before we had to walk out onto the stage for the fashion show. Many Japanese people wanted their pictures taken with us in our kimonos and we even got interviewed for local television because they were so fascinated that we could eat with chopsticks and speak some Japanese. Besides a variety of New Years dishes and a fashion show they had performances of taiko drumming and Awa dancing. You could also paint your own uchiwa (fan) and make your own cup of matcha (green tea). Just another fun filled Sunday.

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Photos

Fugu
The special for the night is fugu or blowfish a delicious, raw, potentially poisonous if not cut right, delicacy.