[For Kids] January Trivia Quiz & Fun Facts: Learn About the New Year in a Fun Way

As many times as you like

Omikuji are fortune-telling slips drawn at shrines and temples, and there’s basically no set limit on how many times you can draw one. Even if you don’t like the result you got the first time, drawing again isn’t considered rude. However, it’s generally recommended to avoid drawing repeatedly in quick succession for the sake of good manners. The idea that “you can draw omikuji as many times as you like” exists because there’s no official rule. What’s important is not to get too carried away by the result and to welcome the New Year with a positive mindset.

A wish for layers of good fortune and auspiciousness to overlap

Stacking osechi dishes in layered jubako boxes carries the wish that good fortune and auspiciousness will come in many layers. In traditional Japanese culture, “layering” itself holds meaning, embodying the hope that a family’s happiness and prosperity will continue in multiple layers. For this reason, the practice has been passed down not only for visual beauty and preservation, but as a distinctly Japanese custom that values auspiciousness.

rice cake (mochi)

Otoshidama is said to have originated from the custom of sharing with family members and children, at the start of the year, rice cakes that were originally offerings to the Toshigami (the New Year deity). By dividing and sharing the mochi, which was believed to be imbued with the deity’s spirit, people expressed wishes for a year of health and happiness. Over time, the custom shifted from giving mochi to giving money, becoming the modern otoshidama.

New Year’s courtesy visits

“New Year’s visits” (toshikoshi/nen-shi mawari) is a traditional Japanese custom of going from house to house during the New Year to greet relatives, acquaintances, and colleagues. It is an important practice for expressing gratitude to those who have helped you and conveying your hopes for continued goodwill in the coming year, and it has been observed across Japan since long ago. This custom also plays a role in strengthening personal connections.

kite flying

During the Edo period, there was a time when kite flying was banned. This was because the growing number of people flying kites led to frequent accidents, such as injuries to passersby caused by kite strings and kites getting entangled with houses or power lines. Social issues were also noted, including people becoming so absorbed in play that they neglected work or study, and kite flying becoming a form of gambling. For these reasons, especially in the densely populated city of Edo, the shogunate prohibited kite flying.

ink

Hanetsuki is one of Japan’s traditional New Year’s games. There has also long been a custom that, as a penalty for losing at hanetsuki, you paint the loser’s face with ink. Black is considered a color that demons dislike, and this practice arose with the meaning of warding off evil. Painting ink on the face creates laughter and lets people enjoy the uniquely relaxed atmosphere of the New Year. It’s a fun custom that has been loved by both children and adults since long ago.

sanpō (a Japanese term meaning “three sides/directions”; also a traditional wooden offering stand used in Shinto/Buddhist rituals)

A sanpō is a stand used in traditional Japanese ceremonies and Shinto rituals, and during the New Year it is used to hold kagami mochi. It is a wooden, square-shaped stand characterized by openings on three of its sides, with the remaining side facing the altar. Offering kagami mochi on a sanpō to the deities expresses gratitude and wishes. It is an essential New Year decoration and an important item that conveys Japanese culture and customs.