Fun facts you’ll want to share! January trivia and tidbits special
There are surprisingly many things about New Year’s customs and January-only traditions that we think we know but actually don’t.
From the wishes embedded in osechi cuisine and the true identity of the fruit placed atop kagami mochi, to things you shouldn’t do during the New Year period, January is full of trivia and fun facts that can liven up conversation.
In this article, we’ll introduce plenty of general-interest trivia and tidbits related to January.
Why not bring them up as topics during family gatherings with relatives over the New Year?
Fun facts you’ll want to share! January Trivia & Tidbits (1–10)
In Thailand, people celebrate the New Year three times a year.
Thailand has three New Year celebrations.
First is New Year’s Day on January 1, which is recognized worldwide.
The second is the Lunar New Year, celebrated in parts of East Asia.
Many Chinese people return to their hometowns for this holiday, and the massive travel rush often makes the news.
The third is the traditional New Year, which Japan also observes; in Thailand it falls in April and is called Songkran.
Since the country stretches north to south, there may be some regional differences, but having three New Years sounds a bit enviable, doesn’t it?
The saying “First Mount Fuji, second a hawk, third an eggplant” has a continuation: “four a folding fan, five tobacco, six a blind masseur.”
It’s nice when your first dream of the New Year contains auspicious signs that promise a healthy, happy year.
The classic symbols of good luck in such “hatsuyume” dreams are the famous trio: “ichi Fuji, ni Taka, san Nasubi” (first Mount Fuji, second a hawk, third an eggplant).
Less often mentioned is the continuation: “shi Ogi, go Tabako, roku Zatō” (four a folding fan, five tobacco, six a blind lute player).
Originally, these were spoken of as a set, but the first half is easier to picture as scenery, so it became the better-known part.
Taken together, they symbolize celebration and good fortune, so it’s a good idea to remember them as lucky omens.
In nanakusa-gayu, “suzushiro” refers to daikon (Japanese white radish).
On January 7, known as the Festival of the Seventh Day (Jinjitsu), people eat nanakusa-gayu, a seven-herb rice porridge.
While it is eaten with wishes for health and safety, it also serves to rest the stomach after the indulgences of the New Year holiday.
Among the seven spring herbs used in nanakusa-gayu, the one called “suzushiro” refers to daikon radish.
Carrying the meaning of pure whiteness, daikon is said to aid digestion and promote beautiful skin.
Since many of the seven herbs are literally grasses, the inclusion of hearty daikon seems to add a satisfying substance to the dish.
Gantan refers only to the morning of January 1, while Ganjitsu refers to the entire day of January 1.
Because the phrase also appears on New Year’s cards, some people may get confused about the difference between Gantan and Ganjitsu.
While both refer to January 1, they indicate different spans of time.
Gantan refers to the morning of January 1, whereas Ganjitsu refers to the entire day of January 1.
Since there is a custom of New Year’s cards being delivered on the morning of January 1, they are often marked with Gantan.
Because Gantan includes the meaning of “morning,” be careful to use it so the meaning doesn’t become redundant.
In Kagawa Prefecture, people put mochi filled with sweet red bean paste into their New Year’s soup (ozoni).
It’s well known that ozoni soup is typically made with white miso in the Kansai region and soy sauce-based broth in the Kanto region.
But even within Kansai, Osaka and Kyoto are said to have slightly different flavors, and in some coastal towns people eat a lighter, dashi-forward style of ozoni.
By the way, the shape of the mochi varies too: in the Chubu region square-cut mochi is common, while in Kyushu round mochi is the norm.
What is the ozoni like in your town? Even just talking about each region’s ozoni seems like it could get lively—regional pride aside.
As a unique variant, in Kagawa they put mochi filled with sweet red bean paste into the ozoni.
Sweet mochi in a dashi broth? It really makes you curious what it tastes like!
The “pochi” in pochettes (pochibukuro) comes from the “pochi” in “koreppochi,” meaning “just a little.”
Pochibukuro, which are mainly used to put money in, are strongly associated with giving New Year’s gift money to children.
The word “pochi” in pochibukuro comes from a Kansai dialect term that conveys the idea of “just a little” or “a tiny bit.” It doesn’t refer to the actual amount inside; rather, it expresses a humble sentiment—“it’s only a little, but…” It also reflects the notion that handing over cash bare is impolite.
In that small envelope, you can feel a distilled sense of distinctly Japanese culture.
Kite flying was prohibited during the Edo period.
Kite flying is a classic pastime during the New Year season, evoking a peaceful image of guiding a kite to ride the wind.
It’s said that there were periods in the Edo era when kite flying was prohibited.
The reason was that it became so popular among commoners—and people got so heated about it—that it sometimes led to fights among adults, prompting a ban.
Considering that the original name ikanobori (“squid climbing”) was banned and people started calling it tako (“octopus”) to get around the prohibition, you could say this shift was significant and connects to how we refer to it today.
What you put on top of a kagami mochi isn’t a mandarin orange, but a “daidai.”
Kagami-mochi is an essential New Year’s decoration, and the orange placed on top of the rice cakes gives it a strikingly festive look.
While mandarins are sometimes placed on kagami-mochi, it is traditionally correct to place a ‘daidai.’ What matters is what kind of fruit the daidai is: because it grows large without falling from the tree, it carries the wish that a family will prosper “from generation to generation.” Mandarins are often used as a substitute because they look similar and are easy to obtain, but it’s important to understand the original meaning behind the custom.
You must not clean during the New Year
Although major housecleaning is something to be finished before welcoming the New Year, some people may be too busy and end up carrying it over into the next year.
However, postponing cleaning into the following year or cleaning during the New Year holidays is considered inauspicious.
The main reasons are that cleaning may drive away the Toshigami (New Year’s deity) or the god of good fortune, and that using water for cleaning prevents the water deity from resting.
On the premise that everything should be completed before the year turns, it might even be important to give up on cleaning if you feel you won’t finish in time.
The shape of the mochi used in ozoni differs between eastern and western Japan.
Ozoni is an indispensable part of New Year’s celebrations, and it’s interesting how the seasoning varies by region.
It’s also said that the shape of the mochi that always goes into ozoni differs between western and eastern Japan.
In eastern Japan, square mochi is used, while in western Japan, round mochi is typical—but the exact boundary between the two is somewhat unclear, which is another fun point.
Focusing on aspects like which type spread earlier, how they’re prepared, and other mochi-related details might lead to new discoveries.