I left Japan in 1989. I still miss it terribly and never more than at New Year, which was my favorite time.
People clean their homes to prepare for the holiday and, as night falls on New Year’s Eve, the temple bells start to toll. The normally hectic pace of life in the big cities slows as people prepare to spend three days with family and friends.
Instead of Christmas cards, the Japanese exchange greeting cards at the New Year and they all arrive together on New Year’s Day, so you get a deluge of greetings from people who are important to you.
There are all sorts of special foods for New Year’s (mostly cold so that cooks are not tied to the kitchen.) My favorite, “omochi” – a pounded rice slab, is wrapped in seaweed, grilled until it becomes soft and bubbly and is covered in soy sauce before being eaten. [Just writing this is making my mouth water!]
Everyone greets each other with “Akemashite. Omeideitoo Gozaimasu!” which, roughly translated, means, “It has begun. Congratulations.”
And so as 2013 begins, I offer you my congratulations and prayers that we are all in for a banner year. Banzai!
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Akemashite o-medetō-gozaimasu to Paul and a
Happy New Year to all of PFO!
Michelle,
Right back at you!
Paul
I also would like to wish each person involved with PFO in any way, a very blessed New Year. God bless.
Lynda,
Amen. Let’s hope and pray that 2013 brings joy and peace to us all.
Paul
A happy New Year to all. Let’s hope, as Emma said yesterday, that we all have “enough” of all that matters in 2013.
Simon,
Yes. Let’s make “enough” our rallying cry for this new year.
Paul
One of my New Year resolutions is to start making comments on PFO again (I’ve been reading it most days, but for one reason and another I haven’t got round to posting a comment for ages). So, even though I don’t have anything in particular to say, here I am!
Well, I suppose I do have something to say: to wish everyone a happy, peaceful and fulfilling year ahead.
Cathy,
I don’t know about you, but I can NEVER hold to my new year’s resolutions. This year I’m trying to listen better.
Paul
A very Joyous Blessed New Year to everyone!
To begin 2013 journeying with all who come here
reminds how fortunate I am.
Carol,
Yes, it is a blessing to be involved with this little community of ours, isn’t it?
Paul
God, bless to me the new day,
never vouchsafed to me before;
it is to bless your own presence
you have given me this time, O God.
Bless to my eye,
may my eye bless all it sees;
I will bless my neighbor,
may my neighbor bless me.
God, give me a clean heart,
let me not from sight of your eye;
bless to me my family,
and bless to me my means.
(From Ancient Celtic Prayers collected by Alexander Carmichael (1832-1912), published in Carmina Gadelica (Edinburgh: Floris Books, 1992).
Síocháin…
Tim,
Thank you for your lovely prayer. You nearly had me with “Siochain” until I remembered that the Irish police are called the “Garda Siochana” – the guardians of the peace. So peace to you, Bro.
Paul
Just want to add my own Happy, Healthy New Year to all visitors here.
Shalom.
Katy,
Shalom, indeed. Happy New Year.
Paul
Happy New Year!
We have a particular meal in our family for New Year’s Eve, but none for New Year’s Day. Maybe we’ll start something next year, when I have a bit of time to plan. Somehow, I doubt it will involve anything like omochi,though.
May this year be one of joy, peace and abundant blessings for all.
Denise J
Denise,
Don’t knock omochi until you’ve tried it. It’s delicious. (Unfortunately, however, a couple of people die from it each year in Japan because they take too much at once and choke on it!)
Paul
Your time in Japan must have been very special Paul. I once had a Japanese woman and her 5 year old son live with me for six months. She had a special quality of Buddhist gentleness that made quite an impact on me.
I’m not usually into New Year’s resolutions as such. But I have been hanging around here long enough for it to have made some impact. I hope I manage to put some ‘reflective’ time into my days- and am getting ready so I am organised to do a ‘review of the day’. Thanks for the influence! Margaret
I am late to this – happy new year!!! My mouth is watering too, that dish sounds wonderful!