This New Years Eve, I had a cold so I stayed at home with some friends who also had colds and we were lazy, watching New Year's specials on TV together with the heat turned up and kleenex everywhere. (We watched the Johnny's Special! Haha) We did the countdown together (with Johnny's) and then we put on five thousand sweaters and went to the busiest shrine in the city for a huge party.New Years in Japan is totally different than New Years in foreign countries. In foreign countries, there are big parties and people drink a lot and kiss each other after the countdown. In Japan, New Years is like Christmas -- a quiet, family event centered around dinner and watching nostalgic TV. I was lucky that my friends are from far away places like Hokkaido and Tottori and China and couldn't afford to go be with their families this year, otherwise I would have been alone on New Year's Eve.
The New Year's party in Japan is always at the shrines. It is exactly like the summer Matsuri parties, but colder. You can buy all of the staples, like jagga-butter, corn on the cob, wagashi, takoyaki and all types of fried noodles. You can walk around and drink a variety of drinks. You can throw a 5-yen coin into the shrine and make a wish.
It was fun! Then yesterday, I spent all day sleeping off the cold and the jet lag. Now I feel great.
明けましておめでとうございます！
★
1 comments:
that sounds like a lovely way to spend new year's eve! i wish i had spent my new year's in japan rather than on the airplane... :P
Post a Comment