[For Elementary School Kids] A New Year’s Quiz Everyone Can Enjoy! Learn surprising fun facts with multiple-choice questions

ozoni (Japanese New Year rice cake soup)

When it comes to dishes unique to the New Year that are said to have become widespread in the Muromachi period, ozōni comes to mind. These days, it’s commonly eaten in many households during the New Year, but did you know there’s a theory that it originally began as a field ration in samurai society, made by simmering mochi and vegetables together? It’s also known for its regional variations—such as clear broth or miso-based soup—so if you spend the New Year away from your hometown, be sure to give the local version a try.

kagami mochi (traditional Japanese New Year rice cake decoration)

It is said to be modeled after the Yata no Kagami, one of the Three Sacred Treasures of Japanese mythology, and kagami mochi is displayed as a dwelling place for the Toshigami (the god of the New Year) who is welcomed into the home. Its distinctive layered shape and the citrus placed on top are well known, but did you know that, traditionally, it is not a mikan but a daidai that is used, with the wish that the family line will prosper for generations? Because daidai are quite bitter and sour and not suited to being eaten raw, mikans—which look similar and are about the same size—are said to be used as a substitute.

January 7 or January 15

We tend to use it when meeting someone for the first time in the new year, but in Kanto it’s appropriate to say “Akemashite omedetō gozaimasu” (Happy New Year) only up to January 7, and in Kansai up to January 15. This period is called “Matsu-no-uchi,” the time when New Year’s decorations are generally displayed, and using the greeting after that is considered out of season. It’s fine among friends or in casual workplaces, but businesspeople in particular should take care.

Osechi (traditional Japanese New Year’s cuisine)

Osechi, New Year’s cuisine whose name means “offerings for a milestone day,” is said to trace its origins back to the Yayoi period. In recent years, thanks to the diversification of food culture and advances in preservation techniques, there are many varieties of osechi. Traditionally, however, each ingredient carries its own meaning—for example, black soybeans symbolize health and safety, while herring roe expresses wishes for a bountiful harvest and prosperity of descendants. Some say they get tired of eating it for several days in a row, but knowing the original meanings might change how you feel when you sit down to enjoy it.

to welcome and celebrate the New Year deity

Originally, New Year’s was a ritual to honor ancestral spirits, but it later spread as an event to welcome deities of bountiful harvests and household safety. It is said to have already existed by the mid-6th century and is considered Japan’s oldest annual observance. In addition, year-end deep cleaning and decorations such as kadomatsu are done as preparations to welcome the New Year deity, so why not make a solid effort with them to ensure a good year ahead?

Kadomatsu

Known as matsukazari, kazarimatsu, or tatematsu, the quintessential New Year’s decoration placed at the entrance is the kadomatsu. In Japan, it has long been believed that gods dwell in the treetops, and based on the saying “pine pledges a thousand years, bamboo pledges ten thousand,” pine and bamboo have been used to create a vessel for the deities. It is also said that the toshigami (New Year’s deity) uses the kadomatsu as a marker to visit the home, so it’s best to prepare it before the New Year begins.

first shrine visit of the New Year

The custom of visiting a shrine or temple for the first time in the new year is called Hatsumode. Its purpose is to give thanks for having safely made it through the previous year and to pray for peace in the year ahead. Although it is a uniquely Japanese tradition, the sheer number of visitors has led it to be called one of the largest religious events in the world. However, not just any first visit of the year counts as Hatsumode: as a rule, you should go during the first three days of the year (Sanganichi), or at the latest within the Matsunouchi period, so keep that in mind.