History of Decorations for the Japanese New Year
The history of decorations for the Japanese New Year is steeped in traditions that continue to be passed down from one generation to the next.
Japanese New Year
Until 1873, the Japanese based their New Year's Day on the Chinese lunar calendar. After the Meiji Restoration, the Chinese lunar calendar was replaced by the Gregorian calendar, and thus New Year's Day in Japan is now celebrated on the same day as many other areas of the world - January 1. Just as New Year's Day in the United States and numerous countries in Europe involves elaborate celebrations to usher in the new year, the Japanese New Year is also considered a time to celebrate and commemorate this special time of the year.
The History of Decorations for the Japanese New Year
The history of decorations for the Japanese New Year centers around a variety of traditional items, many of which are handmade. Most Japanese usher in the new year with a three-day festival that involves a variety of activities. Before the celebration can truly begin, an intensive house-cleaning must take place. This cleaning is part of the welcoming of the new year in which the Japanese focus on the importance of bringing hygiene into their homes. Once a house has been cleaned, it is now considered ready to be decorated.
Each decoration is carefully chosen for a specific purpose, and each one is based on a Japanese tradition that has endured throughout history.
Kadomatsu - Considered one of the best known, traditional New Year's decorations, the Japanese Kadomatsu refers to the "gate pine." Believed to welcome the ancestral spirits of the harvest, Kadomatsu is placed in front of Japanese homes from Christmas until January 7. Gate pine can be created from a variety of materials, including bamboo, pine and ume tree sprigs, each of which symbolizes longevity, loyalty and prosperity. Typically, the center of the Kadomatsu is created out of three large bamboo shoots, arranged in different heights. Each shoot symbolizes heaven, humanity and earth, in that order. The shoots are tied with straw mats and newly woven straw rope, and they can also be decorated with additional embellishments such as flowers, lights and stars. The history of the pine and bamboo also points out that they are considered "friends of the cold season" in Japan, and that is why these items are often used in Japanese decorations around the new year. The pine, as an evergreen, symbolizes constancy, while the bamboo, which can be bent without breaking, symbolizes resilience.
Mochibana - Created from willow branches and pink and white mochi wrappers, Mochibana continues to be a popular Japanese New Year's decoration.
Shogatsu - The tradition of welcoming spring in Japan, following the New Year, involves the making a Shogatsu which is created out of cherry, peach and plum blossoms. These decorations are often placed on the doors and windows of Japanese homes.
In addition, Japanese tradition often includes decorating homes for the new year with bells, coins and red paint. However, the modern convention of using lights and artificial evergreens and flowers has also found its way into many Japanese homes.
Japanese Decorations Today
Today, Japanese homes often feature a mixture of the time-honored decorations from history as well as the more modernized decorations often found in the West. However, while many families may choose to incorporate the more commercialized decorations and ornaments of today, they typically continue to embrace the historical practices of their ancestors and hold on to the customs and traditions of their forefathers.
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