Japanese New Year (お正月) Traditions
31 May 2026 · Mozhippattru Japanese Language School
お正月 (Oshōgatsu) is the heart of the Japanese year — a time for family, reflection and fresh starts.
Key customs
- Hatsumōde — the first shrine or temple visit of the year to pray for good fortune.
- Osechi ryōri — beautiful boxed foods, each dish symbolising a wish (health, prosperity).
- Otoshidama — money gifts given to children.
- Nengajō — New Year postcards sent to friends and colleagues.
Greetings
- Before the year ends: よいお年を — have a good New Year.
- After it begins: あけましておめでとうございます — Happy New Year.
The mood
Unlike the party atmosphere elsewhere, Japanese New Year is calm and family-centred, focused on gratitude and hope for the year ahead.
Learn the greetings and customs and you'll appreciate this special season all the more.
Arul Prakash founded and personally teaches at Mozhippattru. He cleared JLPT N1 largely through self-study and spent 4 years as a Japanese interpreter for Fujitsu, Toyota and Sango — and now teaches Japanese in Tamil to beginners across India.
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