Holidays in Japan: Japanese New Year (Oshōgatsu) In-Person Class

From New Year’s Eve (Omisoka) to New Year (Oshogatsu) is the most important holiday period for Japanese families and it is rich in tradition. However, for many non-Japanese, many customs and traditions may seem hard to understand. For example, why do people do a thorough house cleaning at the end of the year (why not in spring!)? What is the iconic meaning of the soba noodles dinner on New Year’s Eve? What is the traditional New Year feast called “Osechi Ryori”, and how is the New Year celebrated? We are going to look through these unique customs in Japan and discuss them together! Also, let’s try Japanese calligraphy (shodo) with a brush in a Japanese ink, and prepare a nengajo, a special postcard for New Year greetings! This class is for students who have completed Beginner Level 2 class or equivalent/higher, who have learned hiragana, katakana, and have some knowledge of basic conjugations of verbs (masu-form etc.). Instructor: Tomoko Takagi

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