The Year Goes, the Year Comes
The last day of the year and the first day of the new one hold a special meaning in Japan.
New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day mark a gentle boundary between what has passed and what is about to begin.
As the year comes to an end, people look back and feel grateful for having spent the days safely.
At the same time, they quietly wish for another year of health and calm days ahead.
On the final day of the year, it’s customary to eat soba noodles.
The sound of noodles being slurped — zuru zuru — fills the room, carrying a simple hope that life will continue smoothly into the coming year.
When the year turns, the atmosphere becomes shiin.
A fresh silence settles in, as if the new year has just arrived, untouched and new.
Soon after, that quiet is gently broken by voices of celebration — ufufu and wahaha —
as people welcome the beginning of another year together.
As the new year approaches, seasonal decorations begin to appear.
One of them is kadomatsu, placed at the entrances of buildings.
Standing quietly by the doorway, it welcomes the year ahead with calm and respect.
Archives
A Day in December: Cultural Mix
By the middle of December, Japanese supermarkets begin to show a small but interesting contrast.
It’s a quiet mix of cultures — Western Christmas and Japanese New Year, standing side by side.
Japan absorbs many cultures throughout the year, but this is the season when the line between wa and yo feels especially clear.
On one side, there’s the Christmas corner.
On the other side, the New Year corner appears.
In Japan, the holiday season is clearly divided.
Christmas arrives with feelings of waku waku and kira kira.
New Year feels different — shiin — a time to pause and reset.
Once Christmas ends, the atmosphere shifts quickly, and the country is gently wrapped in a distinctly Japanese calm.
A Day in November: Autumn Leaves
In Yokohama, the ginkgo trees are turning a deep golden yellow, and the leaves fall hira hira and kuru kuru to the ground whenever the wind moves through the street.
The sunlight makes each leaf shine kira kira, so even an ordinary afternoon suddenly feels bright and gentle.
Lately, many people have been visiting the parks and walkways to enjoy the beautiful colors.
The atmosphere becomes a little gaya gaya, with families taking photos, children laughing, and friends walking together under the glowing trees.
Are the trees in your area turning color too, or has the autumn season already passed?
A Day in November: Christmas Lights
In Japan, Christmas isn’t a religious holiday for most people, but a vibrant winter event. Cities glow kira kira with blue and white lights, creating a quiet, gentle atmosphere.
My city, Yokohama, is shining beautifully with its own Christmas illuminations.
At the same time, the streets feel waku waku and uki uki. Shops play cheerful music, decorations sparkle, and the air becomes lively with a warm kind of excitement.
Personally, I’m still deciding whether to reserve a Christmas cake this year — they get more beautiful every year, and the prices rise just as quickly.
What is Christmas like in your country?