| What's The Big Deal? It's Just Japanese New Year | | | | of cookies, rice cakes, or other traditional items that |
| Right? | | | | are often sent with the cards. |
| Wrong! Japanese New Year is different. Before I | | | | The best cards, however, are the ones that are sent |
| came here, New Year meant going out drinking, | | | | to Japanese children for New Year called Otoshidama. |
| letting my hair down and making resolutions that | | | | These cards are beautiful in themselves, but it's |
| somehow I never managed to keep. On the | | | | what's inside them that excites most children. The |
| Japanese calendar, however, Japanese New Year, or | | | | tradition at Japanese New Year is that grandparents, |
| Oshogatsu in Japanese, is considered to be one of | | | | parents, aunts, uncles, and so on, will give money |
| the most important events in the year. | | | | tucked inside these cards for the children to spend as |
| The key things you need to know are: | | | | they wish. |
| - Japanese New Year runs for a period of 3 - 5 days | | | | Travel And Hotel Bookings |
| - Many businesses and shops will close for the | | | | If you are planning on visiting Tokyo or Japan at this |
| duration of this period | | | | time of year make sure to book in advance. As I |
| - This is a time when people return home to their | | | | said earlier, many people are on the move across the |
| families | | | | country at this time to visit family and relatives. If |
| - Make sure you can access your cash! | | | | you don't book in advance you may well find yourself |
| - Enjoy the 108 bells to welcome the Japanese New | | | | standing for the duration of your journey, if you are |
| Year | | | | able to get on a train or bus at all. |
| Japanese New Year Cards | | | | Hotels are also busy as some take advantage of the |
| It is traditional to send cards to friends, family and | | | | break from work to take a few days holiday. As |
| business acquaintances to wish them a successful | | | | with the trains, make sure you have booked in |
| new year. This is very important for building business | | | | advance! Whatever you do, don't arrive on the fly |
| relationships. If you go into any of the local shops at | | | | hoping to find a bed to rest your head. There's no |
| this time you will see presentation boxes on sale full | | | | guarantee you'll find one! |