Akemashite omedetogozaimasu (Happy New Year)!
In Japan, the coming of the New Year is considered to be the most important holiday of he year. It is a deeply religious week where people spend time with their families as well as visiting temples and shrines. The Meiji Shrine in Tokyo hosts several million visitors in the frist three days of the new year. In some ways, it parallels how Americans celebrate Christmas. However, it doesn't resemble how Americans bring in the New Year (e.g. "Partyyyyyyyy!"). We usually seize this opportunity to throw back a bucket of beer, eat a crock pot of queso, and toast to the New Year in every time zone imaginable. "3...2...1... Happy New Year Portuguese Azores!!!"
New Years Eve Day
One Japanese tradition we indulged in was eating soba (buckwheat) noodles. They believe that eating long noodles will yield long life. We went with Junichi, Kaoru, the Haines', and Akira to a noodle shop in a small town north of Tsukuba. Akira said that he eats at that shop every New Years Eve and only on New Years Eve. 
My serving of shrimp tempura soba noodles.
Katie can't eat shrimp so she got curry soba, which was also 'oishi!' (delicious)
Matt eating for long life.
Speaking of long life, we met some of Junichi's family including his 90-something year old (?) grandmother after lunch. They served us some fried chicken and mochi. Mochi is a rice cake that is another popular new year food. It was given to us piping hot 'a la' sweet bean sauce. Everybody loved it and Junichi's parents were kind enough to let us take some home.
New Years Eve night
Junichi and Kaoru dropped us off at the Ninomiya House just as the sun fell below the horizon. They will never now how close they came to disaster... As darkness overpowered the light in the sky, so too did it take hold within me. Lightening bolts of pain jolted through my entire being. By the painful groans coming from my periphery, it was immediately apparent that Katie was enduring the same torture. I could see the panic in her eyes has her fingertips grew sharp claws! I doubled over in agony, my hands rushed to my throbbing head. My ears: pointy. I looked again at Katie and saw the reflection of a full moon in her wild eyes. Gazing back down on myself I saw the final transformation...the hue of my pants morphed from "khaki" to "party!?" The day had gone, and so too did our social reservations. We had become party animals!
Matt and Chelsae decided to have a family night on account of December 31st being their wedding anniversary (Happy Anniversary!). So Katie and I made plans to go to Tokyo for an all nighter with about 15 other people. After all, when are we gonna be in Japan again for another new year celebration? Answer: probably (hopefully) never.
We all rode the trains to the Roppongi Hills district of Tokyo. This area is famous for having a lively nightlife, especially for foreigners.
All dressed up and ready to go.
We all rode the trains to the Roppongi Hills district of Tokyo. This area is famous for having a lively nightlife, especially for foreigners.
As we hung around a convenience store in Roppongi, we noticed that everyone on the street was speaking English. It makes sense considering that the district is a hot spot for American military personnel.
Countdown at Tokyo Tower! Kinda anticlimactic :(
We had missed the official countdown...awwwww swizzle sticks! Oh well, it was the new year. I took this moment to simply stop and take it in. What a difference a year can make. 2010 had been the most life changing year I could have ever imagined. Not in a million year would I have guessed that I would climb Mt. Fuji, spend the night in a Tokyo sleep pod, and visit Tokyo Disneyland on multiple occasions. Best of all, I've been able to share everything that Japan has to offer with so many loved ones. So good luck 2011, you have a hard act to follow.
-Seth
Post a Comment