Shogatsu Celebrations
December 31, 2006- January 3, 2007
So I just returned to my room, in which I haven't seen since last year. Sorry I only get once a year to make that stupid joke. Although I guess I'll be able to make it over the summer. Anyways, over the past two days I celebrated with a large extended Japanese family a very traditional Japanese holiday- probably the best of all Japanese holidays. New Year. 正月Shōgatsu. This year I didn't celebrate my welcoming of 2007 in Times Square, at a party with my friends in Verona, skiing in Vermont, on a couch watching the Twilight Zone or any other usual way I would have spent the night first day of the new year. Instead I celebrated in the middle of nowhere, Kochi-ken, Japan. Better known as, Shimanto-cho, which is surronded by the greenest of unspoiled mountains, cleanest gushing rivers, the coldest of nights, bright stars, curvy scarecely paved roads, hundreds of under mountain tunnels, long drives to just about anywhere, select pockets full of traditional houses full of Tatemi floors, and Nuclear families. And you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way to welcome in the Year of the Boar! 12/31/2006: At about 1:00 on December 31st of last year, my host mother herded Yohei and I into the car for the hour and a half drive to Shimanto-cho. I was really excited because I would get to see Eri, my host cousin, whom I haven't seen since the last day of school. Infact we would be staying at Eri's family's home. The drive wasn't too bad because my Ipod was full of new Jpop music, thanks to Yohei. We stopped at a Mos Burger, which is a Japanese fastfood place. I got a roast Shrimp burger. God, I love Japan. haha. Like all my drives thru Shikoku, my eyes remained on the surroundings. I try to think of something to compare it to in the United States. Like perhaps Vermont's beautiful green mountains, but then it doesn't snow on Shikoku. So I guess there really isn't anything to compare it to. I don't know any state where you can drive alongside gushing crystal clean rivers, green lush mountains, and a rugged coastline all within a 15 minute drive. Shikoku is really just that beautiful. When we arrived at what appeared to be a convenience store, we were welcomed by Eri's family. Eri is the oldest of 3. She has a little sister of 12 named Me, and a little brother of 11 called Hiro. Before we could even get settled, Yohei and I were pulled outside and into some crazy games. Some of these games I wish I had known when I was a little kid. I won't explain them to you. But I will tell you 5 minutes into the first one, Yohei nearly took out my leg and I was on my butt laughing within 3 seconds. After some more interesting games, Eri and I went inside and sat with the adults for a little while. The house is fairly new, directly behind the family convenience store. Like all Japanese houses, it was ice cold. I didn't take my jacket off that whole first day. They suggested we go watch a movie so next thing I know I was laying down on the Tatami floor, heaters blasting, watching Harry Potter with Eri. Soon dinner was served, which was probably about 3 cows worth of meat. Good meat, too. Japanese people generally like their meat so well done it's like a tire, but this one was red and bloody. Sorry for the gory details. But it did make me especially happy. I ate and ate, until I was too full to open my mouth. Then I watched Yohei kick Eri, Me, and Hiro's butts in Mario Kart on Nintendo Game cube. If I played it would have been to pathetic to write about. Back in the Tatemi floored room, Eri and I finished Harry Potter. Then we turned on some Japanese New Year shows. Their was a program on with a lot of good Jpop. Actually it has become a more recent custom to watch this music show "kohaku uta gassen", a highly popular television program featuring many of Japan's most famous J-pop singers in spectacular performances. By spectacular performance, I mean Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl a couple years back was a Brady Bunch compared to what some of these Jpop performers, well performed. The most interesting was probably DJ Ozma's dancers finishing the song with tiny patches covering their privates, making Tarzan's loin cloth look like an Eskimo suit. Sometime later in the night, my host mom brought us in pudding and we all feasted. I asked her some personal questions about Japan and we ended up talking about alot of other stuff. The quote of the night goes to Mari-chan when we were talking about differences between old time Japanese people and old time gaijins. "Japanese ancestors looked like monkeys," she said in English. I nearly wet myself. At about 11:45, Eri's father, Mari-chan, Me, Yohei, Eri, and Hiro went to a Buddhist Shrine and rang a large gong to welcome in the new year. Omisoka is the name of the day of New Year’s Eve. Since the New Year is the biggest event in Japan, people celebrate the Eve as well. Japanese people stay up till midnight to listen to the 108 chimes of a nearby temple bell. The 108 chimes called Joya-no-kane, ring out the old year and rings in the New Year. It is supposed to release people from the 108 worldly sins. This year I got to go with my host family to a tiny old shrine on the side of a mountain and ring the gong for myself. I kind of messed up the second time around, but hey what do you expect from a gaijin? Afterwards we drove back to the house and talked in the kitchen for a little while. Mari-chan tried to explain the point of the animal new year. But it's kind of funny because she nor Eri's mother knew exactly why they celebrate it. They just kept saying that it came from China. So I was content with the knowledge that this is the year if the Boar, I was born in the year of the horse, and there are 12 different animals. For 14 hours I was in a different year that my friends and family at home. Crazy, right? I took a quick shower, which mind you sucks if you've gotten used to taking baths everynight, which I have. When it was time to sleep, Eri and I rock-paper-scissored for the bed or futon. I got the futon with is an extremely comfortable large cushion on the Tatemi floor. Best part is it was right below the heater. I got to admit I slept great that night. But before I nodded off, I thought about 2006. Pre-Japan: I brought home 2 marking periods of straight A's, started running and joined the track team, lost 30 pounds, started feeling good about myself, was selected to be a Rotary Youth Exchange Student, was given my third choice, Japan, which if you haven't figured out by now was probably the best thing that ever happened to me, had a going away party and felt like I was actually going to be missed contrary to what I originally thought. Then well, I came to Japan in 2006. I don't think I need to say more except that it was maybe the best decision I ever made. So looking ahead, I hope to god, 2007 is just as great if not better than 2006. 1/1/2007: Most Japanese households still observe rituals that go back as far as the Edo period of the 17th century. New Year's resolutions in Japan are made to bring prosperity and happiness for the future. Any unfinished business requires attention at the end of the year, so houses are cleaned, debts are paid, and foods are prepared prior to the New Year so the holiday can be enjoyed with leisure. Wearing new clothing, family members rise early on New Year's morning and visit the family shrine (okay so Eri and I slept till 11:00 AM...) Friends and family spend New Year's day visiting one another. The New Year is considered a time of forgiveness and cordiality to all. Japanese people don't go to work on New Year's Day. They rest and celebrate the holiday with the family. The first visit to the temple is called "Hatsu Mohde," which means the first visit. Unfortunately my host mother and her family can not visit a temple for "Hatsu Mohde" because of the tradition that a recent death in the family prohibits. At 102, Mari-chan's grandmother passed away on the 21st of December. Mari-chan's mother can not visit a temple for a whole year, while Mari-chan and her brother can't visit for 49 days. When she explained this to me I was amazed at such an incredible tradition. I am absolutely amazed by the Japanese religion. The majority of Japanese people refuse to admit they are religious and yet everyone follows the New Year's traditions of shrine visiting, as well as following loads more traditions. But then the average Japanese person will have a Christian style wedding and Buddhist funeral. Confused? I think not. I love this strange religion. The best word for it is that it's so nonbinding. So much freedom as long as you follow the very few traditions set in stone. I hope that makes some sort of sense. Anyway, on New Year's Day, the family starts the New Year with a "mochi" or rice cake breakfast. I hate Mochi, it sticks to your teeth and is just plain weird. Thus I didn't eat it. Rice pounding to make mochi rice cakes is a popular new year activity. However, many modern Japanese families buy them from supermarkets now. Eri and I woke up at around the same time and headed downstairs. We sat in the kitchen on the Tatemi floor (if you haven't figure out yet, the whole house is Tatemi flooring) a large old heater warmed us up as we watched some television. At around 12, Eri's father had Yohei, Hiro, Eri, and I take the dog for a long walk. The dog Badaa, is this enormous German Shepard and such a cute dog! It's Eri's job to walk him, but because she is so small, Badaa usually walks Eri. The day was grey wintery morning as we trekked on to the main road for a walk. Yohei and Hiro walked quickly ahead with Eri's father and Badaa, while Eri and I took our time. I of course couldn't keep my eyes of the surrondings. God I love Shikoku. It's just too beautiful a place to feel real. Just outside Eri's bront door is the almighty Shimato river, one of the last 3 rivers of Japan not to be spoiled by human reach. Our walk paralled the river, until we crossed a narrow bridge. On the other side of the river we walked thru alongside the forest on a narrow road next to mountains. In the distance smoke rose from a burning rice paddy. Eri's father gave me Badaa and I got to walk the enormous dog for a little while. Close to the way back home, we walked down to the riverside for rock skipping. Yohei beasted with a skip of like 12 times. I could barely get 3 or 4. We also took a group shot with my camera. Our back drop was the world scariest bridge, which is a very narrow slab of cement high sbove the river with no guard rails. I'm told that during Typhoon season the bridge usually gets washed away. Not suprising. We watched a daring driver attempt the bridge and I decided when I get my license and come back here I am going to beast that sucker. But by then it will porbably get washed away. haha. After we walked across it, we headed back for lunch. Lunch was a HUGE platter of sushi, leftover meat, and what I believe was Ozoni, a popular New Year's soup. Ozoni Soup supposedly has its' roots in that Samurai society cuisine. It is thought to be a meal that was cooked during field battles. It is also generally believed that this original meal, at first exclusive to samurai, eventually became a staple foodof the common people. Mostly it is served with Mochi, but thhat greatly differs regionally. Luckily Kochi region uses tofu instead. Not that I like Tofu any better than Mochi. The reason I tell you this is because I think it is very interesting part of Japan. Regional differences, that is. Each specific region has it's own customs, food specialities, religious festivities, many other differences. Japan is small but their are SOOOO many differences between areas that it gets hard to keep track. Anyway back to lunch. I ate a little bit of everything. Then Eri and I went back to watching a movie, Lord of the Rings in our nicely heated Tatemi room. On New Year's Day, Japanese people have a custom of giving pocket money to children. This is known as otoshidama (お年玉), which is a custom from China. It is handed out in small decorated envelopes called 'pochibukuro', descendants of the Chinese red packet. When eri's father handed me a little orange envelope, I had no idea what it was. So I smiled and said "thanks" but when I opened it and pulled out 10,000 yen (something like $100) I almost screamed. Then Mari-chan gave me another package from my current host father with 5,000 yen in it. I was kind of uncomfortbale taking this money and eventually addressed Mari-chan about it. So she explained the custom and now I'm a little richer and little more Japanese. *Smiles thinking about that new pair of jeans* At around 4, Mari-chan sprung on me the trip to the beach. Thus Eri's otosan, Mari-chan, Yohei, Hiro, and I headed to the beach. We took probably the most curvey road in the world, enough to give even the stringest of stomach a little jolt. After 40 minutes we drove along side of the ocean. Mari-chan at some point exclaimed, "Hey look there's America!" And somewhere beyond all of our eyesights my home country was celebrating 2007 at right about that time. I could have sworn to have heard Dick Clark as we arrived at the beach. The place looked vaguely familiar. Then I remembered... Back in August with the Masaki's, Naoko and I needed a bathroom stop. I encountered my first squat toilet at this very beach. Looking down at that sucker, I suddenly didn't have to pee anymore. Now I like Squatters better, as they are much cleaner. In the distance the faint sound of crashing waves comforted us as we walked to the beach. The others had no intention of doing what the stupid crazy gaijin did. Pulled off her shoes and socks and ran straight for the ocean... in below freezing weather... in January. Luckily for my feet, the water was warmer than the air and I ended up wading out into knee deep area of the wave protected channel. If anyone though I was crazy it was the 30 or so surfers out in the distance catching one of Kochi's most famous things, wicked waves. Hiro soon followed the crazy gaijin into the water and we were aplashing around and laughing. I gave my camera to Hiro's father and he took numerous pictures of us. But the greatest part about going to the ocean, anywhere in the world is just looking out at that horizon. Feeling so small. I could have stood there watching it for hours, but Mari-chan wrote my name in the sand and wanted a picture. Then I wrote in my best Japanese kanji Oono. Then I wrote 2007 and we all took a picture with the ocean as a back drop. Hiro and I continued to walk along the waves and I took dozens of pictures. But as the sun began to set, we decided to head back. We took longer than usual because we had to a car switch at Eri's mother's parents house. Back at the house it was just Mari-chan, Yohei, Obachan (Mari-chan's mother), and myself. Dinner was leftovers and stuff. Then I watched Yohei play his Game Cube for a while. Soon Eri's family returned to the house. All of the kids plus Mari-chan played card games for what felt like hours. I even taught them how to play PIGS, but I don't think they enjoyed it as much as American's do. Later in the kitchen, we split a pudding and studied Japanese for while. But bed was calling us and I curled up in my warm futon. First though I showed Eri my pictures, threw a pillow at Mari-chan, and joked with the famous "Goodo Nighto (Japanese intonation)" Eventually I fell asleep happy about the wonderful time I just had. 1/2/2007- I woke up at 11 again, but had to shake Eri awake. So at 11:30 we headed downstairs to be greeted by everyone. I talked with Eri's parents and we kindly made fun of their kid's names translated into English. Me is self-explanatory. Hiro as in Superman. And Eri (pronounced Eddie) is a boy's name is English. Poor Eri. At noon, in the pouring rain, Mari-chan brought Yohei, Hiro, and I to small chrine alongside the Shimanto. She places fruit and some other food inside and prayed. We headed back to the house and packed up the car. At 1, Eri's family and my host family headed into an actual town (of more than 100 people) and ate a huge lunch. Huge as in Steak for Eri and me. After lunch, we all said goodbye, and with Mari-chan and Yohei I returned to Kochi City. During the ride I ran into more Japanese mistakes. I told Mari-chan "You family is great!" She cracked up and said "Not my family, my brother's family." I explained in English family counts as cousins and nephews and aunts and all that stuff. I don't think she believed me. The ride home was very long because there is only one lane highway in Kochi and it was currently being blocked by an accident. And I had to pee. Not very pretty. But I survived and I nearly kissed the squatter toilet at a country convient store after I went. Relief! Back at home I received my lovely Nengajō and then took a rest. Looking back on the holiday I just spent with my host family's extended family in Shimanto-cho. Well the truth is, I loved every minute of it. It reminded me of when I was younger New Year celebrations in Main and Vermont with my extended family. I really can't acurately describe what an amazing time I had. It's not as though I felt apart of the family but I fwlt like more than a guest. More than a gaijin pretending to celebrate a traditional Japanese holiday. I don't know if this makes any sense. I just know I'll look back on this experience fondly as a learning experience about life itself. 1/3/2007- Celebrating the new year in Japan also means paying special attention to the "first" of something. People pay special attention to the first time something is done in the new year. Hatsuhinode (初日の出) is the first sunrise of the year. Hatsumoude (初詣) is the first trip to a Shinto shrine. Many people visit a shrine after midnight on January 1st or sometime during the day on January 1st, I went on January 3rd. If the weather is good, people often dress up or wear kimono. I was in jeans. My host mother could not go to a shrine because of the reason I described before, thus she had me go with her best friend. First we went to an Okonomiacki party then we trekked to a local shrine. Walking thru the Torii gates, we went for the fountain to cleanse our hands of ill will. We then placed 3 coins inside the Shrine, rang the gong 3 times, bowed twice, and prayed for a wish, then bowed once more. Afterwards we bought a paper that tells us when our wish will come true. My wish won't come true until it is too late apparenty. I know my description doesn't really give you a very good idea of the tradition. But I was very fortunate to be able to participate in such an ancient and powerful tradition. And that was my beginning of the Year of the Boar.
