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January
the New Year(Shogatsu),
First New Year's Visit to a Shrine or Temple(Hatsumode)
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The New Year is one of the most important events for the Japanese. People who live away return to their hometown and celebrate with their families. Using decorations prepared to usher in the New Year, such as 'Kadomatsu'(pine boughs) set up on either or both sides of the front entrance of a house, 'Shimekazari'(a sacred twisted straw rope hung with strips of white paper and pieces of straw), 'Kagamimochi'(a pair of round, flat shaped rice cakes) offered to gods on New Year's Day, and other decorations, families celebrate the New Year and pray for the health of one another throughout the year. Special celebratory dishes are eaten as well. People also pay homage at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples as a first New Year's visit and pray for health and happiness the year through.
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April
Cherry Blossom Viewing(Ohanami)
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Cherry blossoms have been loved in Japan since ancient times. When spring comes and cherry trees blossom, mats are spread under the trees in parks or squares. Family members, colleagues, friends and fellow workers eat, drink, sing songs and enjoy parties in various style under the trees. The blossoms, which soon fall and scatter, symbolize the mutability of beauty and pleasure, as well as uncertainty.
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July
Star Festival(Tanabata)
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The star festival is celebrated on July 7. It is based on a Chinese legend involving two stars, Vega, the Weaver Star, and Altair, the Cowherd Star, who were allowed to meet only once a year after incurring the wrath of the heavenly king. People celebrate this festival to inscribe their wishes on the narrow paper strips (tanzaku) and ornament them to bamboo branches.
Mid-Summer Gift
(Ochugen)
The custom of sending summer gifts until around mid-July to acquaintances, friends, superiors, neighbors, relatives and other people to show appreciation. In December, gifts called oseibo are given to express thanks for the past year.
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October
School Sports Events (Undokai)
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In various parts of Japan, school sports and athletic meets are held in October when the Sports Day is celebrated. Parents participate along with their children to enjoy some healthy exercise under autumn skies.
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November
Festival Day for Children Aged 3, 5 and 7(Shichi-Go-San)
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On November 15, children aged three, five and seven are dressed up in their best clothes and taken to tutelary shrines in their neighborhood by parents to pray for happiness and sound growth. Sweet candies in the shape of slender sticks colored red and white called chitose-ame are distributed as luck bringers.
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February
Eve of setting-in of Spring, Bean-Throwing Ceremony (Setsubun)
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February 3, the eve of setting-in of Spring, is believed to produce noxious vapor and misfortune. The bean-throwing ceremony thus started at shrines and temples as a means of dispeling evils and misfortune. At home, people scatter beans offered at family altars from the front door to each room, saying 'Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi'(Out with demons! In with good luck!). People also eat the same number of beans as their age, as a way of praying for health and prosperity.
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March
Doll Festival(Girl Festival)
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On March 3, families with girls celebrate by displaying graceful dolls dressed in ancient costume. A set of Hina ningyo(hina dolls) is displayed on a tiered stand, placing Dairi(emperor) and Hina(empress) dolls on the top tier, followed by three noble court ladies in waiting, five musicians, attendants, guardsmen and other decorations. The dolls are dressed in gorgeous costumes of the Heian period (794 - 1185). Rice-cake cubes, lozenge rice cakes, white sake and other food are offered.
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May
Boys' Festival (Tango-no-Sekku)
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May 5 is the day of the Boy's Festival to celebrate sound growth. Families with boys display warrior dolls with suits of armor and helmets called Gogatsu ningyo(May dolls). Outdoors, they erect a pole to hoist carp-shaped streamers made of paper or cloth. Carp are believed to represent the strength and perseverance that boys need to overcome obstacles.
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August
Obon Festival
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Celebrated between August 13 and 15, this is a Buddhist event to welcome ancestral spirits returning to their families during these three days, which differ by region. People living away from their families return home and all family members visit family graves and hold Obon events.
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September
Full Moon Viewing(Tsukimi)
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On the night of the full moon in September, a festival is held to celebrate autumnal harvests while enjoying a view of the moon. People pile seven autumnal flowers, rice dumplings especially prepared the festival, and harvested vegetables by a window or on a veranda facing the moon.
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December
Forget-the-Year Party (Bonenkai)
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Social gatherings held around mid or late December among business colleagues and friends to forget the old year and to prepare to welcome the New Year in a calm and happy state of mind.
New Year's Eve (O-misoka)
O-misoka is the last day of a year (December 31). Family members gather and eat buckwheat noodles (toshikoshi-soba) customarily eaten on New Year's Eve. People sit up until midnight to listen to the 108 peals of the nearby temple bell (joya-no-kane), which are said to dispel 108 evil passions.
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