Culture-customs, celebrations and social etiquette
Ceremonies
The Japanese have many festivals and ceremonies. These are as follows.
- Doll Festival
- Tanabata
- Shichi-Go-San
- Bon
- White Day
- Valentines Day
- Beginning of Spring
- Coming-Of-Age-Day (National Holiday)
- New Years Day (National Holiday)
- Spring Equinox (National Holiday)
- Autumn Equinox (National Holiday)
- Greenery Day (National Holiday)
- Birthday of the Emperor (National Holiday)
- Ocean Holiday (National Holiday)
- Children's Day (National Holiday)
- Respect for the Aged Day (National Holiday)
- Culture Day (National Holiday)
- Health and Sports Day (National Holiday)
- Constitution Day (National Holiday)
- Showa Day (National Holiday)
- National Foundation Day (National Holiday)
- Labour Thanksgiving Day (National Holiday)
Some of these celebrations are easy to understand, for example New Year's Day, Beginning of Spring an The Emperors Birthday. The most important festivals of all are the National Holidays.
*The first holiday of the year is New Year's Day. It is only celebrated on 1 January, but shops and businesses often stay closed until the 3 of January.
*Coming-Of-Age-Day is held on the second Monday of January and celebrates all children turning 20 that year. 20 is the minimum legal age and most people turning 20 that year wear formal dress.
*National Foundation Day is to celebrate when the first Emperor was crowned on February 11 660 BCE (Before Common Era)
*The Spring Equinox is celebrated around 20 March by visiting graves of deceased relatives.
*Showa Day is similar to the Emperor's Birthday. Showa is what the Japanese have named the previous Emperor of Japan, Hirohito, for his posthumous name. April 29 used to be Greenery Day as of Emperor Showa's love of plants, but now it is Showa Day, as it was the birthday of the deceased Emperor Showa.
*On May 3 Constitution Day is celebrated. In 1947, the post war constitution was introduced on this day.
*Greenery Day celebrates plants, flowers and the environment. It is held on 4 May. This day used to be called Between Day, as by law, any day between two National Holidays is a National Holiday. Greenery Day moved from the 29 April (now Showa Day) to 4 May.
*Children's day, also known as Boy's Day, is celebrated on 5 May. Families with young boys hang carp streamers and samurai warriors around the house and pray for future wealth, power, health, success and happiness
*On the third Monday of July, Ocean Day is celebrated. It is celebrated because Emperor Meiji returned from a boat trip o this day in 1876
*Respect for the Aged Day is held on the third Monday of September. It honours the elderly and the longevity of lives.
*Around 23 September, the length of the day and night is the same. This is the Autumn Equinox. Graves are visited during the week of the Equinox.
*On the second Monday of October, in 1964, the Olympic Games of Tokyo opened to the public. Because of this, Health and Sports Day is on this day.
Culture Day is held on 3 November and schools give awards out to culturally advanced students. It is a day to appreciate freedom, peace and the love of culture.
*Labour Thanksgiving Day is held on 23 November. It was created to honour labour- work and employment.
*The last National Holiday of the year is the Emperor's birthday. Emperor Akihito's birthday is on 23 November.
The Japanese also celebrate other things including Valentine's Day. In Japan, Valentine's Day is celebrated by women giving gifts to men, and men are supposed to return the favour on White Day, one month later. Between these festivals is Girls' Day, or the Doll Festival. It is celebrated on 3 March and families with young girls hang and display dolls and peach blossoms around the house. Dolls are special because they protect their owner.
Another important Japanese festival is the Star Festival or Tanabata. The time of year which Tanabata is held is a litte tricky. It is either on 7 July or 7 August. The Star Festival is when the Japanese believe that the two lovers, Hikoboshi and Orichi, come together. They cannot come together at any other time as the Milky Way separates them.
Obon, or Bon, is a Buddhist festival to remember deceased ancestors.
Shichi-Go-San is another festival. Shichi-Go-San means 7-5-3. Girls of 7 years of age, boys of 5 years of age, and both genders of 3 years of age are given bags of lollies on this day.
Christmas is also being celebrated more and more by the Japanese. They put up decorations and make Christmas cake made of sponge cake, whipped cream and strawberries.
Social Etiquette
Here are some tips if invited to a Japanese house:
- Take off your shoes before entering the house. Slippers will be at the front door for you to use.
- Try to arrive on time. Five minutes' late is often the latest people arrive. It is considered disrespectful to arrive much later.
- Dress nicely and formally unless advised it is a casual occasion.
- Use the toilet slippers to use the bathroom.
If invited for dinner, remember these tips:
- Wait for someone to tell you where to sit
- The person sitting at the head of the table is the most senior person
- Wait until the most senior person has started eating before you start
- Don't point using your chopsticks
- Eating with chopsticks is a great skill to learn
- When you stop to drink or speak, return your chopsticks to the chopstick rest
- Bones should be placed on the side of your plate
- Try at least a little of everything on your plate, but it is okay not to eat it all
- Japanese tend to slurp their noodles in soup
- Try not to mix your foods together on your plate
- Don't finish your drink unless you want more - it will be refilled
- When finished eating, place your chopsticks on the chopstick rest (not on your bowl/plate)
- If you want more rice, leave some in your bowl, it will be refilled. If you don't want more rice, eat it all
- It is acceptable to leave food if you don't like it or want any more
- The Japanese tend to savour their food so don't talk much during the meal
Bibliography
www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/japan-country-profiles.html
