The last blog of the year! Yikes. The last blog of the decade! I wonder if I'll be able to write another last of the decade blurb in ten years... hmmm... I suppose we shall see. So New Year in Japan is a pretty big deal, and there are many a tradition involved. In the home (and at work), cleaning and tidying is a must - people have goods (tables, furniture) outside to tidy and clean the floors, the windows the everything, including clothing and papers and, well, everything I guess. This keeps in line with the idea that, seeing as how years are viewed as completely separate, you leave anything unwanted, unclean, undesirable, behind with the old year and in turn can start the new one afresh. Apparently there are bonenkai or "year forgetting parties" to celebrate the new year and the sloughing off of any worries, concerns, sins etc., that are tied to the year soon to be gone by. Out with the old and in with the new! I know that we celebrate new years with a vague touch of this idea, but it's not nearly so pronounced. Houses are decorated with a variety of kadomatsu, new years decorations, including pine (to welcome the Shinto god of the new year), bamboo ropes, tangerines, paper decorations - all of which symbolize longevity, vitality and good fortune. Other new years traditions include sending new years greeting cards (delivered on January 1st), eating mochi rice cakes and many other special new years foods, visiting temples at midnight or early on the 1st and much more, I'm sure. I've gleaned most of this info from the www, and all six of us have questions for Nao - what's this, why that, etc. We visited a local temple yesterday on a neighborhood walk around, and saw a man come in and do a short ritual temple visit - he threw envelopes (with wishes/prayers for the new year, I think) and a bamboo rope on a small fire, gestured, bowed, and was on his way. And so the question is, have we done or are we going to follow any of these traditions? Yes - some, but not all. We hung a Shimekazari on our front door (a gift from Nao), and are going to visit a temple at midnight tonight... It should be a very memorable New Years!!
And then there were six! The fab four (Steve's parents Bob and Marg, and his aunt and uncle Barb and Ralph) arrived on Tuesday afternoon, and we are in the thick of planning and enjoying each other's company. Hurray. We have many a meal planned, and even yesterday opened more PRESENTS! We gave them a "welcome to Japan" pack which included a Pasmo (metro pass card), a metro map, coffees, Japanese beer and wine, rice cakes, face masks (possibly their favourite part), SUMO tickets (!!!) and hmmm... maybe that's about it. Oh, and some bowls and chopsticks. And, we were spoiled, once again. In a very cute, short card-letter, Wii were informed that wii had a big, fun gift, waiting at home for (wii) us. A WII! Duh. Exciting! I'm excited for the Wii Fit, though I'm not really sure what the deal is. I suppose we shall see! I got some earrings to match my most favourite necklace (pics to come), iTunes gift cards, Olympics mittens and more. Like I said, we were spoiled! And as I write, people are scattered in the main room of our small apartment - some guitaring and singing (Steve and Bob), Nintendo DSing (Barb) and iPod internet-ing (Marg and Ralph); the hockey game is on (slingbox) and we are soon to abandon ship for a walk in the park in the last-of-the-year afternoon sun. There's not much that I need to or want to slough off from this year - it's been an amazing one: our wedding, great times with family and friends, and a new adventure in the land of the rising sun. The guys are singing "Peaceful Easy Feeling" - just what I want, just what I've got, to carry me into a new year. All the best in 2010!!
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