New Year Eve

Today is New Years Eve.  Soooooo quiet around here, at least, around me.

In Japan, New Years Eve is a big day, just like a Christmas Eve for Canadian culture.


Family members come back to the home town.
Getting together with old friends who haven't met for years.


I have been in Canada for since 1999, and I am finally getting used to have a super busy, exciting, wined up, almost over whealming Christmas and quiet New Year.


But I certainly miss my Japanese New Year!!!


Watch the New Year Eve TV show, Kohaku Uta Gassen, (female popular singers as a 'Red team' VS male popular singers as a White team), get excited about each singers costumes.

Go out with friends to visit temple and line up to hit Joya-no-kane (a huge gong) at a Buddhist Temple.

Yes, lots, lots, lots of people.


Joya-no-kane starts around 11:55pm on December 31st, and continues until it hits 108times.

"108 times" comes from Buddhist teaching. By hitting 108 time, it helps to cleanse the guilt, anger and all the regrets and sorrows that happend in past year, and to be clean to be ready for the new future.

I think it is very beautiful culture...

Eat Toshi-koshi-soba, the "Buckwheat Noodle for New Years Eve" on December 31st.

Toshi-koshi-soba is to show the appreciation to be able to have a life for the upcoming new year, and wishing for the long life. (long noodle represents longevety)


After eating Toshi-koshi-soba,Stay up all night, or have a little snooze.


Get up early to find the most beautiful New Year's Sunrise.

Make a promise to the First Sun of the Year for a happiness and good health for 
the upcoming years.


Eat, O-zo-ni, mixture of vegetable and fish soup, with O-to-so, sweet rice wine, in the morning of the New Year.

Each foods in the O-zo-ni has meanings behind them.  As you eat each food in a soup, we remind ourselves to promise for happiness, success, achieve goals, good health, longevety.

Then go to the Shinto temple in the afternoon of New Years day,

 to make a wish, 

pick a reading(horoscope) of the year,

and buy a lucky charm(for good health, happiness) from Miko (spiritual medium in red & white clothes at Shinto Temple).

If you pick a bad reading, you know your year will only get better.
If you pick a good reading, you are promised a good year.


Children receives Otoshi-dama, gift of the year, from parents, relatives and sometime from neighbors (if they are rich!).  

It is money in a small envelope.  
We learn how to save money each year from our childhood.

Japanese New Years Eve and New Year day are full of customs and full of spirit in 
each actions.

I certainly miss this part.

Shinto teaching is such an equal, non judgemental, spirit based, nature based and honest teaching, in my opinion....


I think that is why I love Jikiden Reiki that truely respects 
the Japanese ancient teaching, Shinto.

Happiness does not come only from the happiness.

I think,,, happiness comes with the loneliness . 

Without knowing the feeling of loneliness, there is no happiness.

WIth knowing the feeling of loneliness, we can be kind to others.

Feeling healthy does not come only with the good health.

I think,,, feeling healthy comes with the sickness.

Without knowing the pain of the sickness, there is no feeling of healthy.

WIth knowing the pain of the sickness, we can be kind to others.

For my families, friends, all the people around me,

I wish you from the bottom of my heart for the happiness 

with a bit of bitterness, the good health with a bit of 

down days and smiles on your face no matter what.

Thank you for having me in your life.

Without any of you in a past, now and future, 

I would not be 'me'.

You are part of me, I am part of you...

Happy New Year !!!