冬の風物詩（fuyu no fuubutsushi) 3 Special Attractions of Winter

大晦日（おおみそか、oomisoka)


The last day of the year, Dec. 31st is called “Omisoka.” To welcome the new year with good feelings, a general house-cleaning is completed, and New Year dishes (Osechi-ryori) are cooked.

At about midnight, the bells speeding the old year (Joya no Kane) begin to be rung at temples all around the country. While listening to the sound of the bells, people eat year-crossing noodles (Toshikoshi-soba), wishing for health in the coming year and long life.

冬の風物詩（fuyu no fuubutsushi) 2 Special Attractions of Winter

忘年会（ぼうねんかい、boonenkai)


Bonenkai literally means “Forget-the-Year Party.” It is a year-end party to forget the unpleasant memories of the passing year and to welcome the new year with a fresh mind.

It is usually held among office colleagues or friends. In addition, just after the new year, a party called the New Year Party takes place.

冬の風物詩（fuyu no fuubutsushi) 1 Special Attractions of Winter

神戸ルミナリエ（koobe luminarie)


 Kobe Luminarie(こうべ　ルミナリエ）first started eleven months after the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995 with the hope to give courage and greatly inspire the people of Kobe, and the event has become an annual festival as a reminder and symbol of the city's recovery from the disaster.

 The lights were donated by the Italian Government and the installation itself is produced by Valerio Festi and Hirokazu Imaokad.

 This year, it will be held from Dec.6th to Dec. 17th. For more information (in Japanese), visit www.kobe-luminarie.jp. (In English) http://www.ryuusenkaku.jp/english/kobe_luminarie.html

日本の祝日 (nihon no shuku jitsu) 1 --- Natinal Holidays of Japan

勤労感謝の日（きんろうかんしゃのひ、kinrou-kansha-no-hi) Labor Thanksgiving Day


November 23rd is Kinro-kansha-no-hi. In 1948, it was designated a national holiday “for the people to honor labor, celebrate manufacturing and give thanks to one another.” From ancient times, this day has been an observance known as 新嘗祭（にいなめさい、nii-name-sai, the Shinto Harvest Festival）, carried out at the imperial court. For this, the Emperor dedicates that year's new rice to the gods and tastes it for the first time This observance is held still today in the Imperial Household.

秋の風物詩（aki no fubutsushi) 6 --- Special Attractionｓ of Autumn

七五三（しちごさん、shichi-gosan)


A gala day for Children of three, five and seven years of age
This is an event occurring on November 15, when prayers and offered for children's growth.

Because odd numbers are auspicious in Japan. On November 15, girls of seven, boys of five and three-year-old children of either sex are taken to shirnes by their parents to give thanks and pray for divine blessing.

美術(bijyutsu)・工芸(koogei) --- Arts and Crafts 1

招き猫（まねき　ねこ）---　Maneki-neko


Maneki-neko is a statue of a cat beckoning passers-by. The statue is often found in restaurants and shops and is displayed as a charm to attract customers with its raising left hand and fortune money with its raising right hand.

秋の風物詩（aki no fubutsushi) 5 --- Special Attractions of Autumn

紅葉狩り（もみじがり、momiji-gari）　　Maple-viewing



On the contrary of cherry-blossom flont, Autum-leave flont moves southward from early October to early December in Japan. People realize the transit of season and enjoy the beautiful color of trees in mountains, temples, shrines and so on.

秋の風物詩（aki no fubutsushi) 4 --- Special Attractions of Autumn

秋祭り（あきまつり、　akimatsuri）   Autumn Festival


Autumn festivals are thought to have begun with prayers for bumper crops. Local people especially young ones parade in the town pulling a large floats (called Danjiri) made of wood that weighs three to four tons.

秋の風物詩（aki no fubutsushi) 3 --- Special Attractionｓ of Autumn

---- 運動会（うんどうかい、 undookai)---- Athletic Meet


Athletic meets are held at schools every autumn since it is the best season for sports.

Athletic events are relay race, a tug of war, obstacle race, race for the bun, race carrｙing a balloon on a racket, ball-toss game, mock cavalry battle and so on.

秋の風物詩（aki no fubutsushi) 2 --- Special Attractionｓ of Autumn

---- 月見（つきみ、 tsukimi)-----

Tsukimi is “Moon Viewing,” This is done in autumn on the night of the full moon. Offerings of Japanese pampas grass, rice dumplings, seasonal fruits and vegetables are made to the moon, and the full moon is appreciated. The full moon floating in the clear autumn sky appears especially beautiful.

秋の風物詩（aki no fubutsushi) 1 --- Special Attractions of Autumn

----敬老の日（けいろう　の　ひ、keiroo no hi)----

The third Monday of September is keiro-no-hi, or Respect-for-the-Aged Day. It is a day to honor the aged, celebrate their long life, pray for their good health in the future. People give a gift to their parents or grandparents, and there are also many events such as variety shows organized by local governments or respect-for-age associations.

The number of centenarians in Japan--- 47,756 (Sep.13, 2011), 51,376 (Sep.15,2012)
The lifespan for women---85.90 years, for men---79.44 years (2011)

夏の風物詩（natsu no fubutsushi) 3 --- Special Attractions of Summer

----暑中見舞い（しょちゅう　みまい、shochu mimai ）、
残暑見舞い（ざんしょ　みまい、zansho mimai )----

Japanese used to exchange cards in summer. “Shochu mimai” which means  'I hope you keep your health in this scurching heat'.is written until “Rsshu”(the first day of autumn according to the lunar calendar, Aug. 8 in 2012), and “Zansho mimai” which means, ' I hope you keep your health in this lingering summer heat.' after “Risshu” until “Shosho”( one of the 24 divisions of the four seasons, around August 23)

夏の風物詩（natsu no fubutsushi) 2 --- Special Attractionｓ of Summer

----盆踊り（ぼんおどり、bon odori)----

Bon-odori is a festive folk dance held in the evenings during summer or bon season (Aug.13-15).

The stage is set in an open space in a local community, and ゆかた（yukata）-clad men and women dance in a circle until late at night.

The original purpose was to welcome and console departed souls.

夏の風物詩（natsu no fubutsushi) 1 --- Special Attractionｓ of Summer

----夏の甲子園(natsu no koshien) ----

This is an annual nationwide high school baseball tournament at Hanshin Koshien stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyogo prefecture, with 49
schools which are regional champions of each of the prefectures of Japan ( two teams from Hokkaido and Tokyo).

Needless to say, Major-Leaguers松井秀喜（Matsui Hideki)

イチロー（鈴木一郎　suzuki ichiro)

ダルビッシュ(darubisshu)

made a spectacular showing in the game when they were high school students.

The final game of this year will be played over the national championship on the 23th in August.