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New Year's Day
The Aoki Family reads New Year's card freshly delivered on New Year's morning. 00.01.01/ Temperature: 4.5C/ Weather: Partly cloudy/ Wind Direction: NW
Current Location Tochigi City, 36 22 27 N 139 43 51 E
Distance Traveled: 0 km (Rest day: New Year's Day)For much of my journey I have heard from Japan's elders about the happiness that the New Year celebration used to bring in times of hardship. The joy felt by the many who have become my teachers in Japanese culture during the holiday season seems like a happiness that may be hard to top. I spent the first day of 2000 remembering the stories I have heard and sharing in the happiness of celebration with the Aoki Family.
Shrine visitors waft smoke onto themselves for good fortune and health. In the background is the main shrine where people ring the temple bells and pray. "The biggest difference between new years today and new years when I was growing up is the food. We didn't have such elegant foods as we have today, but boy was our New Year's meal delicious," said Grandfather Aoki sitting at the dinner table in his pajamas and furry brown vest. Since I started walking, elders such as Grandfather Aoki echo his sentiments of the joy of receiving delicious food and sometimes even new clothing. "In the old days we didn't have the weekends off. New Years was one of the only times we had to relax and heal our bodies and we got to eat delicious foods. I remember always being excited about eating mochi and wearing a set of new clothes," commented one woman in Yamagata Prefecture.
Mr. Aoki's daughter puts ties her fortune paper to a bamboo tree for good luck. Growing out of an era when economy meant merely 'getting by' to a lot of people into an era with end of the year bonuses and limitless ways to spend, many of the elders that I have met along the way contend that, "Nowadays, everyday is New Years." They are implying that every day is full of delicious foods and of purchases that in the past would have only come on special occasions. I sat down to breakfast with the Aokis excited to experience what the New Year holiday means to them.
A small sake (rice wine) glass was filled before me. The entire family toasted as Grandfather Aoki acknowledged this year's accomplishments and wished for a productive and happy New Year. Sake was brought down from the small altar in the house as well as from several other areas (the entranceway to the house and in the garage) where the Aokis have made small altars to thank the kami (gods) which have looked after them. "If you drink this sake of the gods it is said to heal one's body," said Grandmother Aoki offering me one of the small shot glasses.
Daruma dolls and other good luck placards are burned in the New Year to start with a clean slate. Many people purchase new placards each year burning the old ones. A decorative tray rest in the middle of the table, each dish having its own significance for the New Year. As we continued to eat, the youngest of the Aokis appeared out of no-where with a large stack of post-cards. "Nengajo" (New year's post-cards)!
The day's excitement continued as we made our way to the local shrine to pay respect to the kami (gods) and wish for health and prosperity in the New Year. Step by step we made our way to the entrance of the Ohirayama Shrine Mr. and Mrs. Aoki, the two Aoki girls and myself walked through towering torii (Shinto gateway). The girls began counting steps as we started our way up the 330-meter climb to the shrine. Climbing further, shade from the shrine's aged forest cooled the sweat on our backs. Many of the year's first pilgrims stopped to pant as the steps become increasingly steep. A young couple struggled to keep up with their young boys who hopped down the mountain counting one hundred, fifty, one hundred, fifty.
Eldest daughter of the Aoki Family stands in the local super market with her newly purchased good luck bag. Passing the gate which protects the kami (gods) of the shrine from evil spirits, we could see the shrine. Peeking up over the edge of the staircase I could see people spreading incense over their bodies wishing for good fortune and health. Others tossed money into the collection box at the altar, rang the shrine's bell and made their New Year's resolution in silence.
Fortune papers were tied to hanging bamboo in hopes of good luck. Visitors wrote wishes on wooden placards and hung them from a red wooden frame. The eldest Aoki daughter wrote, "To pass my high school exams," on her placard and hung it on the frame. Decorative arrows to ward off spirits of misfortune and decorative rakes of fortune to collect good fortune sold by the dozens at the shrine's shop. A small fire surrounded by bamboo poles and paper to ward off evil spirits crackled as items of last year's good fortune were added to the pile.
At the shrine we all received healthy dose of spiritual and mental good fortune. From there we made our way to the local department store to try our luck at a different type of new fortune. Apparently, the morning of the 2nd and more recently the first, is a time to collect your good fortune at large stores and shopping centers. Fukubukuro (good luck bags) are reasonably priced bags full of a variety of goods. They are usually sold under different categories such as office supplies, children's clothing, sporting wear, etc. We made our way to the young ladies section where the eldest Aoki sibling hit the jackpot getting a 5000-yen (approximately 45 dollars) bag filled with 7 different items of clothing.
As she pulled each item from her good luck bag, it reminded me of all of my Christmas's spent back in the United States. The moment of anticipation before opening the good luck bag seemed very similar to what I used to feel before opening each Christmas gifts.
Though times have changed and rituals of the New Year are continually altered, the Aokis showed me that New Years remains to be a celebration and source of excitement, happiness and family bonding. It also remains a highlight of the year for kids and adults alike.
I think happiness is difficult to measure, but do you all think that your grandparents may feel happiness to a different degree?
Do you think everyday is like New Year's Day?
Greg
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