Homestay Day 11-New Year, Kimono Debut

On the first day of Japanese New Year, Japanese will eat New Year meal to bring good fortune. We did　書き初め(kakizome) and went to 熱田神社 to pray and to debut my Kimono :P.

御屠蘇（otoso)is Sake with added medicinal herbs to be drunk on New Years Day to ward off sickness for the entire year ahead.

Simple おせち(osechi) contains 黒豆(sweetened black bean), 甘煮栗 and dried fish. Most of them are sweet.

お雑煮(ozouni), Mochi cooked in Miso(味噌）/Dashi(だし）with 年菜

After the New Year meal, we did Kakizome 書き初め(First Calligraphy of the New Year)　The tools are same with what we use for Chinese calligraphy

Hidemaru was writing Nezumi(Mice) which represent the mice year.

Our art work, can guess which one is by me?

Kimono debut. The kimono belongs to okaasan and she helped me to wear. There are a lot of layers and a lot of strings. It is very hard for a person to wear by their own as the Obi (帯）-the ribbon need others to help.

Me with white fur. Japanese girls will wear Kimono with white fur during their 成人式 when they reach 20 year old. Tomorrow will be the 成人式 for girls and boys who reach 20 year old, it is Japan public holiday.

At the train station on the way to Atsuta shrine (熱田神社) There was an ojiisan passed by me and say I was wearing 晴れ着(haregi), which means wearing kimono to pray in Shrine or temple.

There were a lot of stalls selling food in the Shrine.

Oishii takoyaki

Behind of us is place to pray. They throw coins into the pool and to make a wish. 5 Yen is good because it stands for Go-Yen(御縁）-Good Luck

Hidemaru with his Yakiniku, spot the head one the top of the meat

Omikuji(御神籤） is basically done to tell the fortune of the year. The way is similar to Chinese's one. Shake the container until a stick fallen out and take your omikuji according to the number written on the stick.

HIdemaru and Otoosan

While queuing, snap snap snap..~

Game stall

Nagoya train 名鉄(Mei tetsu) with red train

On the train

Hidemaru wants a bit of alcohol, we gave him 5.53mm.haha..

Kan pai!~

Otoshi dama(お年玉） and お守り (omamori) from my host family to wish for my studies