日本の祝日 (nihon no shuku jitsu) 2--- National Holidays of Japan

正月（しょうがつ、Ｓｈｏｇａｔｓｕ）　New Year


Shogatsu is generally celebrated for the first three days or the first week of January and is the most important period for the Japanese, comparable to Christmas in Western countries. School and businesses close for one to two weeks after about Dec. 29, and many people who live away from their families return home to spend this time with their families. On New Year's Day, people go for the first temple or shrine visit of the New Year and pray for health and happiness in the new year.

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.