Monday, December 29, 2014

Happy New Year 2015!

December 29, 2014




It’s late December and as usual I wish we were in Japan for the New Year’s festivities.  We’ve celebrated with our home stay students and their families twice and it was great fun. 

All temples and shrines are selling the traditional decorations – endless combinations of pine branches (for longevity), bamboo stalks (for strength and flexibility) and plum blossoms (the first flower to bloom in late winter).  They can be as tiny as two inches and as tall as seven feet.  There are also numerous displays of mochi (rice cakes) and oranges, both real and artificial.  Sake sales are high.  Every housewife is busy cooking osechiryori, the traditional New Year’s feast or has ordered it from a trendy department store. No one cooks on New Year’s Day – it’s a time of rest and relaxation with your family.

One of my favorite traditions at this time of year is the practice of welcoming the Seven Lucky Gods and their treasure boat.  The photo is of an ema, a votive plaque of the Seven Lucky Gods from Chorakuji Temple, established in 803 AD in Kyoto.  From left to right the gods are: Fukurokuju (with large head, God of Longevity and Virility), Daikokuten (with magic mallet, god of Wealth and the kitchen), Jurojin (with white beard, God of Wisdom), Ebisu (with red fish, God of Honest Labor and Commerce), Bishimonten (in helmet, Scourge of Evil Doers), Benten (with lute, Goddess of Beauty and the Arts), and Hotei (with treasure sack, God of Happiness).

In one popular Japanese tradition, they travel together on their treasure ship (Takarabune 宝船) and visit human ports on New Year’s Eve to dispense happiness to believers.  Children are told to place a picture of this ship under their pillows on the evening of January first. Local custom says if they have a good dream that night, they will be lucky for the whole year.

And attention Harry Potter fans!  One of the treasures of the Seven Lucky Gods is an invisibility cloak!  It allows a person to do good deeds without being seen.  That tradition goes back over 300 years!  The other treasures are: a robe of feathers that gives the gift of flight, a magic mallet that when shaken brings forth wealth, a never empty purse and scrolls of wisdom.  There are some political leaders around the world I’d like to give the scrolls of wisdom.

Happy New Year of the Sheep 2015!

For more about the Seven Lucky Gods: http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/seven.shtml

For information about Japanese New Year’s foods: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osechi

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