I like watching anime and Japanese dramas, and I'm planning to learn Japanese. I'd like to know more about what festivals are celebrated in Japan throughout the year!

In Japanese tradition, the New Year is a time to give thanks to the gods who bring good harvests and to welcome the spirits of one's ancestors. The Japanese used to hang pine, bamboo and grass ropes on both sides of their doors to welcome these gods and spirits. At the beginning of the year, people give thanks to the gods and ancestral spirits and pray for a good harvest in the new year. The New Year is the most important holiday of the year for Japanese people. Many people make plans and resolutions at this time.

New Year's Cards

The New Year's cards sent to people by their relatives, friends and acquaintances are called "nengaisho" (New Year's greeting cards), and about 3.5 billion cards were sent out on New Year's Day 2003 in Japan.

First Visit to a Temple

The first visit to a Shinto or Buddhist temple on New Year's Day is called hatsumode. In the case of Shinto temples, people choose a temple that is in a "favorable position" in relation to their family. The purpose of the visit is also to pray for a good harvest and for the safety of the family.

The Meiji Jingu Shrine in Tokyo (3 million in 2003), followed by Kawasaki in Kanagawa (2.6 million) and Naritagawa Shinshu-ji Temple in Chiba (2.65 million) attracted the largest number of visitors.

New Year's money

During the New Year, children receive money from their parents and relatives. So there is a special reason why children look forward to the New Year. In recent years, it is not uncommon for children in junior high and high school to receive 5,000 or 10,000 yen each. In total, children often receive money totaling tens of thousands of yen.

New Year's games

In the past, almost all children took part in outdoor activities such as kite-flying, gyroscopes or a badminton-like sport called "hanebutsu. Indoor fun included "Gogarudo" (a poker game), in which participants were tested on their memorization of poems from the "One Hundred Poems for One Person" collection, and "Double Six," a board game similar to backgammon. But today's children are surrounded by new and fancy modern game programs, and these games of the past are less appealing.

Spring:

Rising of the Spring ("Festival")

According to the Lunar Calendar adopted in 1873, the months were counted about a month and a half behind the modern calendar. The first day of spring ("rishun" or "festival") was designated as the third or fourth day of the second month of the new year. Risshun is commemorated on February 3 or 4, even though this falls on the coldest day of winter in Japan. On this day, Japanese people open their doors and windows and scatter beans while shouting, "Ghosts go out, good fortune comes in. It is said that eating a number of beans equal to the number of years old on this day is good for your health. This custom was originally held at the court on the last day of the lunar calendar to symbolize the expulsion of ghosts, winter cold and gloom, and to welcome the arrival of a bright new spring.

Dolls' Day ("Hina Matsuri")

Dolls' Day is celebrated on March 3, when spring is not far away. It is an annual day to beg for the happiness and healthy growth of young girls. On this day, families display dolls and peach blossoms in traditional court attire, and offerings of a diamond-shaped rice cake and dried rice balls are made. The festival of dolls has its origins in ancient beliefs about the ritual purification of sins. It was believed that human sins and impurities could be washed away in purification ceremonies by the river. Later, dolls made of paper were used in these ceremonies; after the Edo period (1600-1868), these dolls were designed to look like the toys of today.

The Spring Equinox

The Spring Equinox falls around March 21st. On this day, people must visit the graves of the deceased to honor their souls, and Buddhist monks are invited to recite sutras. A similar festival is called the Autumn Equinox, which is commemorated on September 23 every year.

Cherry Blossom Viewing

In late March and early April, cherry blossoms, the symbol of the Japanese nation, bloom in most places in Japan. Japanese people have picnics and enjoy themselves under the cherry trees. Since the Edo period, the custom of having a picnic under a cherry tree has been very popular among ordinary Japanese people.

Golden Week

April is a stressful time for students and new employees, and it is also the beginning of the Japanese fiscal year. However, from the end of April, many people have the opportunity to take a week to 10 days off because it coincides with a number of festivals: Green Day on April 29, Constitution Day on May 3, and Children's Day on May 5th. In addition, since 1985, May 4 has been designated as a public holiday. Therefore, it is called Golden Week. During this time, the weather is warm and sunny, making it ideal for short trips. Tourist spots all over Japan are bustling with tourists. Golden Week is famous for its traffic jams.

Children's Day ("Dragon Boat Festival")

Japan's Children's Day falls on May 5 during Golden Week. Traditionally called Boys' Day, it is a festival especially for boys, and is intended to pray for healthy growth and future success. Customs such as carp flags, samurai dolls, dumplings and kashiwagi are very popular in Japan. In ancient times, May was considered to be the worst month of the year, and the fifth day of May was even more unlucky. The "Dragon Boat Festival" began as a purification ritual to drive away evil spirits and impurities. On this day, it is also customary for Japanese people to take a hot bath in a tub filled with calamus (a plant). Traditionally, the leaves are believed to have healing properties and to ward off evil spirits.

Summer:

The Tanabata Festival

This is a fusion of Chinese legend and ancient Japanese custom. The Cowherd and the Weaving Maiden are separated on the east and west sides of the Milky Way and can only meet on July 7 every year. In Japan, the Tanabata festival is said to have begun in the sixth year of Emperor Shomu's reign. On this day, people tie colored paper with poems and wishes to bamboo poles. The wishes made on this day will be realized. Today, Tanabata is celebrated in many places in Japan. The most famous places are Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto Prefecture, Kotobukuro Shrine in Kagawa Prefecture, Hiratsuka City in Kanagawa Prefecture, and Takaoka City in Toyama Prefecture. In addition, Sendai Tanabata is celebrated one month after Tanabata in other parts of Japan, on August 7, which is closer to the date that Tanabata is supposed to be celebrated according to the lunar calendar.

Fireworks

The night sky is dotted with colorful fireworks throughout Japan in the summer, and fireworks displays are held in many places. Japanese fireworks are said to be the best in the world, and have been handed down from the Edo period. Today, fireworks displays are often computer-controlled, ensuring precision and spectacular effects. In Tokyo, the fireworks display along the Sumida River has been famous since the Edo period.

Bon (Bon) Festival

Bon is an annual festival to welcome and comfort the spirits of ancestors. It is said that the spirits of ancestors come to the house on this day. Traditionally, Bun is commemorated on the 17th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar. Nowadays, some people carry out activities from July 13 to 15, and others from August 13 to 15. On the 13th, people light fires to welcome the spirits of their ancestors. On the 13th, a fire is lit to welcome the spirits of the ancestors, and on the 16th, a farewell fire is lit to send the spirits of the ancestors back. Many companies and stores take a vacation during Bon-bon because those who work in other places have to go back with their wives and children. As with Golden Week, traffic is very heavy at this time of year. Autumn:

Mid-Autumn Festival ("Tsukimi")

According to the lunar calendar, the full moon occurs around the middle of September. People gather on this day to enjoy the moon. This custom originated in China and spread to Japan during the Heian Period (794-1185). On this day, people decorate their houses with straw and offer their rice flour balls and autumn crops to the moon.

Seven-Five-Three

November 15 is the day when three- and five-year-old boys and five- and seven-year-old girls visit shrines. Traditionally, little boys wear men's kimonos and little girls wear kimonos. Nowadays, however, children also wear other costumes. On this day, the children's parents go to the store and buy sweets called Chitose candies for the children, which are said to bring longevity to the children. The whole family eats red beans and rice and bream with a head and tail.

Winter:

End-of-the-year parties

End-of-the-year parties Starting in December, Japanese people like to hold a lot of end-of-the-year parties at bars and restaurants, which are called "Omotenashi" (forgetting the year). The purpose of these parties is to thank people for their hard work, to forget about the bad times and to have fun at the end of the year. Japanese people are very fond of these parties, and people of all ages and groups, including students and company employees, are busy planning these events. In most cases, these parties are organized and paid for by the company.

Christmas

Christmas is becoming more and more popular in Japan, where people, whether Christian or not, enjoy decorating Christmas trees, eating Christmas cake and exchanging gifts. It's a happy time for children, who wait for Santa Claus to bring them gifts.

New Year's Eve ("Daikichi")

After Christmas and the big end-of-year party, December 31st comes soon after, and this is New Year's Eve in Japan. Just before midnight, Buddhist temples all over the country ring the New Year's bell in a ceremony called "New Year's Eve Bell". The bell is rung 108 times to symbolize the purification of 108 worldly desires. Then, with the celebration of the first month of the year, a new year begins.

It is well known that Japan's national drink is sake, and the unique flavor of sake is better suited to match Japanese cuisine, while general dining or sipping is hardly sought after, and shochu is now a popular drink throughout Japan, and most of the people who drink shochu in Japan are now elderly people.

Shochu is an inherently Japanese distilled spirit made from Satsuma sweet potatoes, brown sugar and cereals.

It has a distinctive aroma and flavor, so when you add ice water or hot water to it, it does not dilute the flavor of ordinary liquor. Because of the non-fermented form, there will be no headache after drinking, and you will not feel hard the next day

So Japanese people like to drink shochu when they are relaxing O(∩_∩)O~

Hope it can help you ~ \(≥ ▽ ≤)/~ la la la la