It's Christmas season again.
When I was growing up in Japan, Christmas was a day that we get present from Santa :D and some fancy food I like and cakes (lots of cakes).
My dad used to own a restaurant and his customers and suppliers offers him a Christmas cake every year. He couldn't say no or couldn't say yes to one of them, so we used to have different type of cakes every year. Chocolate cake, Butter cream cake, Fruits cake and ice cream cake. Eat cake everyday until New Year.
What a sweet memory. And thank you Dad.
Now I am in Cayman, and this will be fourth Christmas season in tropical Island.
I might have mention this last year, but this season is the time I miss country most...
I don't like cold weather, but Japanese traditional New Year Ceremony is very special in my mind.
I don't like cold weather, but Japanese traditional New Year Ceremony is very special in my mind.
December 31st most business is closed and very quiet during the day.
Family usually stay at home and watch tv together. TV is showing the event happened this year and we talk about those event and remember about bitter and sweet with family together.
At our house, when 11:59pm comes we sit on tatami together and face each other. 12am we start hearing temple hitting the KANE (big iron bell) and all our family bow and thank for last year and wish all the best for new year.
Something like this photo but we are small family (father, mother, me, my sister)
I never told my dad but I enjoyed this ceremony every year. After this private ceremony, we will drive to shrine and do HATSU-MOUDE (first visit). HATSU-MOUDE is your first visit to Shrine in that year and usually place is packed with people.
(This photo's Shrine is a lot like my home town's Shrine.)
Most Shrine serves AMA-ZAKE (Hot Sweeten Sake with ginger) and people through money in the box and pray for this new year. Most people buy their OMAMORI.
They’re good luck charms that are said to have a god inside to keep you
safe. There are a wide variety of omamori. There are traffic safety
omamori, omamori that will allow a pregnant woman to have an easy
child-birth, and omamori to help you with your studies, like this one.
Sometimes shrines will be known to have especially powerful omamori of a specific type. This dazaifutenmangu which is in Kyusu is famous for its ability to improve luck in studying. It works!
You are supposed to return the omamori to the same shrine where you purchased it after one year. Otherwise, the charm will lose its effect. -from http://www.japannewbie.com/2008/04/26/omamori-japanese-good-luck-charms/
Omamori works. Really works for me. If you believe it works.
I got one for studying when I was a student, I had traffic safety every year after got my driver's license. Now like Japan New Bie Blog said there is god inside. Rule #1 You should NEVER open this. NEVER Rule #2 Keep it clean and keep it close to you all the time.
I am sure that this will be my last blog for this year.
So have a great holiday seasons and Happy New Year AKEMASHITE OMEDETOU GOZAIMASU when it comes.
