Dragon dances, red packets filled with cash, decorations with a new animal every year…all of these are easily recognizable symbols of Lunar New Year. Sometimes this is even referred to as “Chinese New Year.” The celebrations call to mind traditions from East Asia, but does that include all countries from the region? Is shōgatsu (正月), Japan’s New Year traditions, just another word for Lunar New Year?
Let’s dive into the details below!
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What is Lunar New Year?
Lunar New Year is the celebration surrounding the start of the lunisolar calendar and the beginning of spring. It is the most important holiday in China, but it is also celebrated in Vietnam, South and North Korea, and countries with high Chinese populations. Traditions vary between nations, but all place a focus on welcoming the new year, spending time with family, and enjoying special foods for the holiday.
Traditionally, Lunar New Year is a fifteen-day, nationwide celebration. Because it is based on the lunisolar calendar, the dates are not the same every year on the Gregorian calendar. In 2023, Lunar New Year began on January 22nd, but the 2024 Lunar New Year will begin on February 10th. Despite this wide range, the first day of Lunar New Year will always fall between January 21st and February 20th.
Why is the zodiac important to Lunar New Year?
You may be familiar with the Western zodiac used in astrology that is segmented into 12-month cycles and associated with the stars and planets. For example, a person born between March 21st and April 19th is an “Aries” and a person born between September 23rd and October 22nd is a “Libra.” Each of these 12 signs have a variety of traits with fortune-telling aspects such as personality and romantic compatibility.
The Chinese zodiac consists of 12-year cycles rather than 12 months. In this zodiac, the year you are born under the lunisolar calendar is your associated sign. Each year is tied to one of 12 animals:
- Rat: 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
- Ox: 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
- Tiger: 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
- Rabbit: 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
- Dragon: 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
- Snake: 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
- Horse: 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
- Sheep: 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
- Monkey: 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
- Rooster: 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
- Dog: 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
- Pig: 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031
Other aspects of the zodiac include tie-ins to the five Chinese elements (earth, water, fire, wood, and metal). These animals also vary slightly depending on the country, such as Vietnam using the cat and buffalo instead of the rabbit and ox.
Does Japan celebrate Lunar New Year?
Not exactly. Out of all of the holidays in Japan, New Year’s is the most important, but that pertains to the Japanese shōgatsu traditions which begin on January 1st, following the Gregorian calendar.
Lunar New Year is not celebrated in Japan at large, but there are some areas that put on events. The two largest minority groups in Japan are Chinese and Korean, so those communities continue to observe Lunar New Year following their own traditions. After Japan’s annexation of Korea in 1910, the Korean population increased drastically for the first few decades of the 20th century and many of their descendents live in Japan as Japanese citizens today. Meanwhile, Chinese migration to Japan picked up in the late 19th century when Japan opened trade after a long period of isolation. The three major Chinatowns (or chūkagai 中華街) in Yokohama, Kobe, and Nagasaki continue to thrive today.
Modern-day Japan does not celebrate Lunar New Year the same way its neighbors do, but several shōgatsu traditions are similar given their shared history. Cleaning the home before the first day of the new year is important to sweep away the problems of last year in both Lunar New Year and shōgatsu (called ōsōji 大掃除, or “big cleaning”). While children celebrating Lunar New Year receive money in red envelopes with gold lettering, Japanese children celebrating shōgatsu get their money in white and red envelopes (called otoshidama お年玉, or “year’s jewel”). You may find even more connections the more you learn about shōgatsu traditions!
Just like Lunar New Year itself, the Chinese zodiac has influences in Japan’s New Year celebrations. In Japanese, this is referred to as jūnishi (十二支, twelve branches) or eto (干支, sexagenary cycle) and is also used in fortune telling. However, the animals also play a central role in the New Year celebrations of any given year.
2023 is the Year of the Rabbit, so rabbits featured in some decorations for the new year. Holiday cards (nengajō 年賀状), banners, store advertisements, and more were decorated bunnies everywhere. 2024 will be the Year of the Dragon, so a similar theme will be found using images of dragons.
On January 15th, some Japanese people still observe “Little New Year” or koshōgatsu (小正月). This takes place on the first full moon of the year in a nod to Lunar New Year. Families eat a rice and adzuki bean porridge called azukigayu (小豆粥) to celebrate, sticking bamboo cylinders into the dish before eating. The amount of rice in the cylinder is said to indicate how bountiful the next year’s harvest will be.
In modern Japan, this is also the day most decorations are taken down and the Japanese god of the New Year, toshigami (年神, year god) is bid mata rainen (また来年, see you next year) until next year.
>> Get the guide on Japanese honorifics to celebrate every holiday with respect.
Why did Japan largely stop celebrating Lunar New Year?
Japan has a long and storied history with China. Trade and diplomatic relations between the two countries date as far back as the beginning of the common era. China introduced Buddhism, architecture, rice cultivation, and even the writing system still used today (kanji 漢字). The kan- in kanji itself means “China”!
Lunar New Year was no exception. The Chinese lunisolar calendar was introduced to Japan in the sixth century, and it continued to be used in some form over a thousand years with some uniquely Japanese additions.
However, in 1873, Japan abandoned this calendar in favor of the Gregorian calendar in an effort to match the Western world. After a long period of isolation between 1603 and 1868 (called the “Edo Period”), Japan began trading and building relations with nations from Europe and the Americas once again. They went to great lengths to align their government, economy, and other major institutions to more closely resemble Western models.
As a part of this change, Lunar New Year was put aside and shōgatsu began on January 1st from that point onward. Even so, the Chinese zodiac remains, as well as other reflections of Lunar New Year traditions.
Where can you find the remaining Lunar New Year celebrations in Japan?
Just because Japan no longer celebrates Lunar New Year nationwide doesn’t mean you can’t find celebrations in Japan! Communities throughout Japan hold Lunar New Year events in places such as:
- Yokohama: The biggest Chinatown in Japan has held Lunar New Year celebrations since 1986. In years past, there have been lion and dragon dances down the streets, acrobatics and martial arts showcases, and parades.
- Nagasaki: The oldest Chinatown in Japan, Nagasaki’s Lunar New Year festival goes beyond the Chinatown area to a number of venues throughout the city in a celebration of Chinese culture. Known as the Nagasaki Lantern Festival, it features over 15,000 lanterns.
- Kobe: Nankinmachi (Kobe’s Chinatown) has also featured a large variety of Lunar New Year events since 1987, including lion and dragon dances, musical performances, and more.
- Tokyo: The Chinese community is flourishing in Ikebukuro, a district in central Tokyo. While not an official Chinatown, you can still find Chinese shops and restaurants celebrating Lunar New Year, and it’s a great place to try some authentic Chinese food.
Lunar New Year celebrations always end with the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the new year. Houses are decorated with lanterns, dances and parades are performed, and fireworks are lit to begin the new year with a bang.
>> Pick up some Japanese conversation basics for when you attend these celebrations!
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Lunar New Year may not be central to Japanese culture, but its longstanding influence is still present. And if you find yourself in Tokyo or Nagasaki during the holiday, why not join in on the fun?
For conversations about Japanese holidays and beyond, get started with Japanese on Rosetta Stone! Its Dynamic Immersion method and TruAccent speech-recognition engine have you learning Japanese naturally from the very beginning. Rather than emphasizing rote memorization, you will pick up Japanese in the same way you first learned your native language.
Written by Alexa Bevan
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