Homes are decorated and the holidays are celebrated by family gatherings, visits to temples or shrines,and formal calls on relatives and friends. People also visit Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. The main events of Koshogatsu are rites and practices praying for a bountiful harvest. The Japanese New Year is very different to the Australian New Year. So I was very interested to experience the New Year Japanese style.
Food is an important part of Japanese culture and the New Year Foods are especially interesting.
Osechi-ryori includes many different foods that are eaten especially at New Year. Many of the foods have special meanings. On the 3rd day of the New Year I went with my host mother to pray at a shrine. My host mother bought me a special doll called a Daruma. When you buy the doll it has no eyes.