Ōmisoka

Ōmisoka(大晦日)orōtsugomori(大晦)is a Japanese traditional celebration on the last day of the year. Traditionally, it was held on the final day of the 12th lunar month. With Japan's switch to using theGregorian calendarat the beginning of theMeiji era, it is now used onNew Year's Eveto celebrate the new year.
The last day of each month of the Japaneselunisolar calendarwas historically namedmisoka(晦日). Originally, "miso" was written as 三十, indicating the 30th day, thoughmisokasometimes fell on the 29th due to the varying lengths of the lunar month. The last day in the 12th lunar month is calledōmisoka(大晦日)—with the 大 indicating it is the final last day of the month for that year—or the "great thirtieth day".As part of theMeiji Restoration, Japan switched to theGregorian calendarin 1873, andōmisokawas set as December 31, orNew Year's Eve.The day is also known by the archaic pronunciation ofōtsugomori(大晦).This is a shortened version oftsukigomori(月隠り), meaning "last day of the month".
Traditionally, important activities for the concluding year and day were completed in order to start the new year fresh.Some of these include house cleaning, repaying debts, purification (such asdriving out evil spiritsand bad luck), and bathing so the final hours of the year could be spent relaxing. Recently, families and friends often gather for parties, including the viewing of the over four-hourKōhaku Uta Gassen(紅白歌合戦, "Red/White Singing Battle")onNHK, or more recently to watch largemixed martial artscards.This custom has its roots in the ancient Japanese culture surroundingtoshigamisama(歳神様)ortoshitokusama(歳徳様), which revolved around the practice of showing reverence toward the gods of the current and upcoming years.
About an hour before the New Year, people often gather together for one last time in the old year to have a bowl oftoshikoshi sobaortoshikoshiudontogether—a tradition based on people's association of eating the long noodles with "crossing over from one year to the next", which is the meaning oftoshi-koshi. While the noodles are often eaten plain, or with choppedscallions, in some localities people top them withtempura. Traditionally, families makeosechion the last few days of the year. The food is then consumed during the first several days of the new year in order to "[welcome] the 'deity of the year' to each household" and "[wish] for happiness throughout the year".
At midnight, many visit ashrineortempleforHatsumōde, or the first shrine/temple visit of the year. Throughout Japan,Shinto shrinesprepareamazaketo pass out to crowds that gather as midnight approaches. MostBuddhist templeshave a largebonshō(Buddhist bell) that is struck once for each of the108 earthly temptationsbelieved to cause human suffering.The bell ringing tradition is known asjoya no kane (除夜の鐘).
When seeing someone for the last time before the new year, it is traditional to say "Yoi o-toshi wo"(良いお年を, lit. "Have a good New Year"). The traditional first greeting after the beginning of the New Year is "Akemashite omedetō(明けましておめでとう, lit. "congratulations on the new year").
This celebration is the equivalent ofNew Year's Evein theWestern world, and coincides withSaint Sylvester's Daycelebrated by someWestern Christian churches.