Homestay Day 10-New Year Eve大晦日(oomisoka)

Japanese New Year falls on 1 Jan, unlike Korean and Chinese which follow Chinese Lunar Calendar, mostly fall on Feb. During the Japanese lessons, our sensei taught us about Japanese culture, what they do before and on the New Year. When I was homestay, my family really follow the culture.It was very interesting!~

Japanese decorate their house using 鏡もち（kagami mochi) and しめ飾り(shime kazari) during New Year. On the day before New Year Eve, all the cleaning(大掃除）have to be done to welcome the New Year God to come into the house. I was helping to clean the whole house..haha..using news paper to clean the window, it was very fun.

At night, we went to okaasan's mother's house to eat カニ鍋(crab pot). Obaa chyan gave me お年玉(New Year Ang Pow) and one very cute Rabbit fur scarf.

Sashimi

The best crab I have ever eaten. The Japanese crabs are gigantic and juicy

おせち(osechi), Japanese put all the food with good meaning in box and eat during New Year to bring the good fortune

Looked like steam boat Chinese will eat during New Year

With Hidemaru's cousin.　I taught them how to say colours and numbers using Malay Language.

HIdemaru..this is Jengga,not lego

Obaa cyan's Daihatsu Mira..Look 99.99% like my Kelisa in Malaysia

Side

Front

After we go back to our home, it was 12am midnite. We went to Otera(Temple for Buddhist,仏教）　and Shrine（神社, for 神教） to do the first praying in the year. The Japanese call it as 初詣(hatsumoude)

In Otera, we eat red beans with mochi inside. The Ojiisan sitting in front of me felt shock when he saw me taking photo of my food..haha..then my hostmother explained to him that I am from Malaysia. He said he saw the Sleeping Buddha in Penang. Japanese in Hekinan are all very friendly :D

除夜の鐘(Jyoya no Kane). I was too soft when I hit for the first time, the second time, I hit using my full power. The old year has gone, and the new year comes.

In Hakken Shrine, they burnt the old woods and old charms. I was shock as in Malaysia, it is illegal to burn something openly. Everyone stood around the fire to warm themselves.

My host father doing volunteer

The tank for making osake, yun yum

The volunteers there who wear はっぴ (happi). Kan Pai (Cheers)

Reached home. There were a lot of stars on our way back. HIdemaru was nagging all the way that he wanna eat 年越しそば(toshikoshi soba). He says if not eating the noodles, the New Year will not come. haha..