2022/12/26 05:00 Weather News
I think there are many people who say, “I put it up as soon as Christmas was over.” New Year’s decorations have bad luck days.
We asked Shinmeido Co., Ltd. (Iida City, Nagano Prefecture), which plans, manufactures, and sells traditional crafts such as New Year decorations, regarding the meaning and taboos of New Year decorations.
Each meaning of New Year’s decorations
“Kadomatsu, kagami rice cakes, and shimenawa are typical New Year’s decorations, but in general households, it has become common to hang shimekazari, which are shimenawa decorated with good luck charms, at the entrance.
Originally, the shimenawa, a new year’s decoration, had the meaning of welcoming the god of the new year and warding off the impurities of the old year. It also has the meaning of enshrining the spirits of ancestors, wishing for a bountiful harvest in the new year, good health, and safety at home.” (Shinmeido)
I was introduced to the meaning of each decoration of the general “shimekazari”.
▼Orange:Because the fruit grows large without falling from the tree, it means prosperity for generations to come.
▼Pine, bamboo, plum, crane, turtle:It has the meaning of welcoming the auspicious New Year, and the pine is especially auspicious evergreen tree.
▼Mizuhiki:It is tied with a wish for good luck.
▼ Ura-shiro:Welcome the new year with a white feeling from the inside out and express your wishes for longevity.
▼Royal Coin・Four Hands:It is used as a mark of a clean place.
▼ Shimenawa:It is decorated as a sign to purify the surrounding impurities and cut off the invasion of disasters.
“In addition, ‘Yuzuriha’ means to protect the family for generations and the prosperity of descendants, ‘Konbu’ means the development of the family, ‘Ise lobster’ means eternal youth and longevity, and ‘Nanten’ means ‘overcoming difficulties’. ”(Shinmeido)
Are there days when you can’t decorate?
“It’s common to display on the 26th, 27th, 28th or 30th of December.
The 29th is considered to be an unlucky day, meaning “double suffering,” so it’s better to avoid it. Also, decorating on the 31st is called “Ichiyakazari”, which is considered to be disrespectful to Toshigami-sama.
Avoid the 29th and 31st and hang it in front of the entrance (door).
After New Year’s, it’s customary to have the rice cooked by dondo-yaki, but in recent years there have been objections to this due to concerns regarding environmental issues. Please dispose of it according to the instructions of your local government.” (Shinmeido)
Did you understand the meaning of the New Year’s “shimekazari” and the day on which it should be displayed? Let’s follow the tradition and welcome the New Year God with a reverent feeling.
Reference materials, etc.
Interview cooperation / Shinmeido Co., Ltd. (Iida City, Nagano Prefecture)
