Holidays

[3/3]

ひな祭り hinamatsuri Girl's Day/Doll's Festival

3/14

White Day (ホワイトデー)

Boys give reciprocal gifts to girls who gave them gifts on Valentine's Day

3月3週

Graduation Ceremony (そつぎょうしき)

Sakura is the flower associated with graduation

3/20

Vernal Equinox Day (春分の日/Shunbun no Hi) National Holiday

[3/17-3/23]

Ohigan (おひがん) or Haru no Higan (春の彼岸)

Buddhist holiday celebrated around Equinox days

Ohakamairi - People visit graves of ancestors

Bota-mochi - Mochi eaten during Higan

[4月2週]

Entrance Ceremony (入学しき)

[4/8]

Hana Matsuri (花祭り)

Birthday of the Buddha (hotoke)

Kanbutsu-e - Buddha statues decorated with flowers, bathed in ama-cha (hydrangea tea)

Shishimai - Lion dance

花見

Hanami

Flower viewing of sakura blossoms during spring

Picnics under the sakura

Sakura Matsuri (さくら祭り) - Festivals celebrating the blooming of sakura

Largest festival is in Ueno, Tōkyō

Yozakura - Hanami at night

when is golden week

april 29-may 6

4/29

Shōwa Day (しょうわの日)

National Holiday

Birthday of Emperor Showa (1926-1989)

5/3

Constitution Memorial Day (けんぽうきねんび) National Holiday

Holiday celebrating the founding of Japan's Constitution

Established 5/3/1947

5/4 May 4th

Greenery Day (みどりの日) National Holiday

Nature appreciation holiday

5/5

Children's Day (子どもの日 or たんごのせっく) National Holiday

Also considered to be "Boys' Day"

Iris is the flower associated with children's day

Koinobori - Windsock that is raised on children's day

Musha-ningyō - Warrior dolls

Kashiwa mochi - Red bean paste filling, wrapped in oak leaves

Chimaki - Sticky sweet rice wrapped in iris or bamboo leaves

Chirashizushi

7/7 July 7th

tanabata (七夕)

Star Festival

Held on the 7th day of the lunar calendar (often celebrated on July. 7)

Deities Orihime and Hikoboshi are in love but are separated by the Milky Way, and can only meet during Tanabata

People write wishes on a piece of paper (Tanzaku), and hang it on bamboo trees in the hope that the wishes become true

Various local festivals, ex. Sendai Tanabata Festival

7月3月曜日

Marine Day (海[うみ]の日) National Holiday

Ocean appreciation holiday

8/11 August 11th

Mountain Day (山の日) National Holiday

Mountain appreciation holiday

Established in 2016

8/13-8/15

おぼん

Buddhist event where ancestors come to visit

Natsumatsuri - local summer festival

Bon Odori - Dance performed during Obon

Satogaeri - Returning to parents'/grandparents' home

Kisei rasshu (Returning home rush) - traffic occurring as everyone travels home

Yūtān rasshu (U-turn rush) - traffic occurring as everyone returns to city

Ohakamairi

おぼん continued (idk how to split this up)

Osonaemono - food offerings during Obon

Cucumber (kyūri) and eggplant (nasu)

Bondana - altar for offerings

Bon-chōchin - paper lanterns

Mukaebi - bonfire to welcome back ancestors

Okuribi - bonfire to send off ancestors

8/15

Tōrō Nagashi (とうろうながし)

Usually held on the last day of Obon

A type of okuribi

Floating lantern festival - people write messages on lanterns and let them go free in the water

People believe the lanterns will guide the spirits back to their world

梅雨

tsuyu - Monsoon/Rain season that occurs from June to August - Japan's "fifth" season

Tsuyu Iri (梅雨入り)- Entering the rainy season

Tsuyu Ake (梅雨明け) - End of rainy season

Teru Teru Bōzu (てるてる坊主) - Dolls to hope for clear skies the next day

Upside down for rain

Sideways for clouds

Ajisai (アジサイ) - hydrangea

9/9 Sept

Chrysanthemum Day (きくのせっく)

Chrysanthemum is a symbol of the Imperial family

9月3月曜日

Respect-the-Aged Day (けいろうの日) National Holiday

People typically return home to their elders

"Elderly" refers to anybody above 60 years old

lunar calendar 8/15-8/18

Otsukimi (お月見) or Jūgoya (十五夜)

Moon-watching Festival

Buddhist tradition to celebrate/thank for good harvest

People offer food like sweet potatoes, dango, susuki (pampas grass)

The legend is that there's a rabbit pounding mochi on the moon

9/22 September 22

Autumnal Equinox Day (秋分の日) National Holiday

9/20-9/26 september btw

Higan (おひがん) or Aki no Higan (春の彼岸)

10月2月曜日 October -> July

Sports Day [スポーツの日] National Holiday

Established in 1964, when the Olympic games were held in Japan

Moved to July in 2020 and 2021 for the Tōkyō Olympics

11/3 there was a meeting on this day

Culture Day (ぶんかの日) National Holiday

Promote culture, arts, and academic achievements

11/15

Shichi-Go-San (七五三)

For 3 and 7 year old girls, and 3 and 5 year old boys

Children visit Shinto shrines while wearing kimonos

Chitose Ame - Long red/white candies given to children, aka "thousand year candy"

11/23

Labor Thanksgiving Day (きんろうかんしゃの日) National Holiday

Respect labor/workers

School children make cards or gifts to give to people in the labor force to show appreciation

12/22

Winter Solstice (とうじ)

Coldest/shortest day of the year

People take baths called yuzuyu (citron bath) in order to not catch a cold

12/25 yeah

Christmas (クリスマス)

Not a national holiday - businesses/shops are usually open

It is customary to eat chicken, especially KFC, during Christmas

Christmas Eve is apparently pretty romantic - almost like Valentine's Day

12/31

New Year's Eve (大晦日[おおみそか])

Visit shrines, clean houses for the New Year (Ōsōji)

Toshikoshi soba - Soba noodles eaten before New Year's

Amazake - Fermented rice drink sold by Shinto shrines

Bonenkai - Forget the year party

JOYA NO KANE - Temples ring bells 108 times to purify themselves for the new year; 107 during the old year and 1 during the new.

1/1

New Year's (お正月) or (元日[がんじつ]) National Holiday

Things that people do during new years

Watch the first sunrise (Hatsuhinode)

Visit shrines (Hatsumōde)

Do calligraphy (Kakizome)

Eat New Year's food (Osechi Ryōri)

Send New Year's cards to friends/family (Nengajō)

what are some お正月 related things

Kagami Mochi - New Year rice cake decoration w/ a daidai on top

Kadomatsu - bamboo decoration placed in front of homes

Shimekazari - Wreath-like object welcoming the gods to the New Year

Otoshidama - Money given from adults to children (pochi-bukuro)

Hatsuyume - First dream; lucky to dream of Mt. Fuji, eagle, or eggplant

1月2月曜日

Coming of Age Day (せいじんの日) National Holiday

Celebrate those who have turned 20 years old

Lowered to 18 years in April 2022

Seijin-shiki - Coming of Age Ceremony

Women wear furisode and zōri sandals

Men wear haori and hakama, also Western suits

2月1週

Sapporo Snow Festival (札幌雪祭り[さっぽろゆきまつり])

Sapporo, Hokkaidō

Largest snow festival in Japan, largest festival in Hokkaido

Started with a group of high schoolers building snow statues in 1950

Main sites: Odori Park, Susukino, and Tsudome

2/3

Setsubun (せつぶん) Last day of Winter

People clean their houses to chase away spirits for the New Year

People shout "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" ('Devil out! Fortune in!') while throwing beans everywhere

Mamemaki - throw beans on the ground, then eat the amount of beans corresponding to your age

Hiiragi iwashi - good luck charm, sardine head + holly branch at front door to ward off demons

Ehōmaki - makizushi originating from Kansai region

2/11

National Foundation Day (けんこくきねんのひ) National Holiday

Celebrate founding of Japan's imperial line

Day when Emperor Jimmu became emperor in the Gregorian calendar

2/14

Valentine's Day (バレンタインデー)

Girls show their appreciation for boyfriends/husbands, usually by giving chocolate

what are the types of choco

Giri-choco (ぎりチョコ) - "Obligatory chocolate" - given to boys as an expression of gratitude or friendship

Honmei-choco (ほんめいチョコ) - "True love chocolate" - given to boys as an expression of romantic interest or as a confession

Tomo-choco (ともチョコ) - "Friend chocolate" - given to female friends

Gyaku-choco (ぎゃくチョコ) - "Reverse chocolate" - rare, given from boys to girls

2/23

Emperor's Birthday (てんのうたん生日) National Holiday

Emperor Reiwa/Naruhito's birthday