Hi there!

I have to give a prepared talk in front of my class on the similarities and differences of a Japanese New Year and the USA's New Year,in Japanese. Just looking for some ideas on what I could talk about as Google hasn't brought up an awful lot of information...

If it helps, if advanced beginner/ lower intermediate in Japanese. If some one could also give me some ideas on things to say in Japanese would be much appreciated too!

Thank yoooou!

No drinking or kissing lonely girls on Japanese New Years

Don't most people go to the local shrine (or not so local) to pray for good luck, health etc. etc. for the new year that is ahead?

I'm sure there is also special food that is only eaten on new year's, but I can't for the life of me remember what it is...

お節　( osechi) is what those dishes are called. It`s more like a big bento though. You dont just eat it once either, because most shops are closed, families tend to eat that stuff for a couple of days which can get quite bland, especially as the nicer things get eaten during the first meal and by dinner the next day you`re left with with the dregs!!

As for other traditions, I spent a New Year`s with a Japanese family and some of the ones that struck me were the 初詣　(hatsumode) Basically it`s the first visit to a shrine for new years. Alot of people tend to do it after 12 oclock on New Year`s eve. Tend to get free mikans at the shrine as well if that floats your boat.

Don`t forget the televised assault on your mind that is the Red vs White team New Year`s special. Basically a sing off between two teams of ( extremely un) talented people

As one of the posters above mentioned though, absolutely no parties, no lonely girls and basically nothing to do for 3 or 4 days. All in all while interesting to experience once, I would not be too interested in making a habit of it and if not going home for Christmas/ New Year`s I would definitely consider heading to Thailand or somewhere with a bit of life over that period.

Oh just remembered, you might want to mention auld lang syne (the song), I`ve met many Japanese who assume it`s a traditional Japanese song and find it hard to believe that it`s a Scottish song used for New Year`s Eve. ( In Japan it`s called 蛍の光　and is used when shops close!)

Have fun with the speech

(P.S. if I may ask, why are you giving a speech on the differences between the U.S.A. and Japan, your profile says you`re from New Zealand.......)

Yeah! The prominence of that song in my life has skyrocketed since coming to Japan.
Unfortunately, I don't have much to add. I had to give a similar presentation last year. I talked about the ball dropping and the kids got really excited. "What happens when it gets to the bottom?!" ....... "uhhh...nothing really"....."oh"

In Japan, New years is a quiet, family, go to the shrine/temple sort of affair. Christmas is a couple's holiday and may involve parties and such, unless you have kids/family, in which case you order KFC. It's sort of like the way Western countries celebrate Christmas and New Years is reversed from the way they're celebrated in Japan, with the Western Christmas still being nominally a religious holiday but generally more of a family thing, and New Years being the party holiday.

I mentioned that to some of my students, and they were wondering about office Christmas parties they've seen in TV movies, to which I replied with their company Bonenekai/year end parties, so the reversal comparison still stands.

chris9687 Wrote:Oh just remembered, you might want to mention auld lang syne (the song), I`ve met many Japanese who assume it`s a traditional Japanese song and find it hard to believe that it`s a Scottish song used for New Year`s Eve. ( In Japan it`s called 蛍の光　and is used when shops close!)

It's not quite so simple.

For one thing, it is also used as a new years song in Japan. The NHK New Years white-red singing special uses 蛍の光　as its final song. It's also used at Tokyo Disneyland for that countdown--and you'll find it at various other places in Japan on New Years.

It is used for store closings, but I think it's more commonly associated with museums and libraries, which tend to use the song when they close.

One very famous use of it is as a graduation song--as the Japanese lyrics have studying as a theme. They certainly played it at all three graduation ceremonies I've attended in Japan (they typically hand out the lyrics).

It was also used by the Japanese navy as a farewell march, but I don't know to what extent the self-defense force uses it.

Also, in Scotland it's not really only associated with New Years, although that's what it's most famous for.

Tzadeck Wrote:It is used for store closings, but I think it's more commonly associated with museums and libraries, which tend to use the song when they close.

And most of the izakayas, restaurants, and shops I've been in around closing time.

I was just reading this the other day:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No...n_in_Japan

All nine symphonies in a row? I gotta get myself a ticket to one of those performances.

Don't forget to mention the ガキの使い 大晦日 笑ってはいけないSP, a staple of Japanese new year's celebrations

six8ten Wrote:

Tzadeck Wrote:It is used for store closings, but I think it's more commonly associated with museums and libraries, which tend to use the song when they close.

And most of the izakayas, restaurants, and shops I've been in around closing time.

Maybe I'm wrong? Could be a regional thing. I've lived in Kyoto for three years, and I've almost never heard it at a restaurant or izakaya.

Come to think of it, many of those places were either chain restaurants (Tsubohachi, Bikkuri Donkey) type places, and probably many of the larger chain stores, too (Posful, Ito Yokado, etc), though I have heard it in some smaller, local places as well.

six8ten Wrote:Come to think of it, many of those places were either chain restaurants (Tsubohachi, Bikkuri Donkey) type places, and probably many of the larger chain stores, too (Posful, Ito Yokado, etc), though I have heard it in some smaller, local places as well.

Ah, that might explain why I might be biased against hearing it. I almoast never go to chain restaurants (I've still never been to a Bikkuri Donkey in my life, haha). The Izumiya near my house definitely plays it at closing time.

Tzadeck Wrote:

chris9687 Wrote:Oh just remembered, you might want to mention auld lang syne (the song), I`ve met many Japanese who assume it`s a traditional Japanese song and find it hard to believe that it`s a Scottish song used for New Year`s Eve. ( In Japan it`s called 蛍の光　and is used when shops close!)

It's not quite so simple.

For one thing, it is also used as a new years song in Japan. The NHK New Years white-red singing special uses 蛍の光　as its final song. It's also used at Tokyo Disneyland for that countdown--and you'll find it at various other places in Japan on New Years.

It is used for store closings, but I think it's more commonly associated with museums and libraries, which tend to use the song when they close.

One very famous use of it is as a graduation song--as the Japanese lyrics have studying as a theme. They certainly played it at all three graduation ceremonies I've attended in Japan (they typically hand out the lyrics).

It was also used by the Japanese navy as a farewell march, but I don't know to what extent the self-defense force uses it.

Also, in Scotland it's not really only associated with New Years, although that's what it's most famous for.

Ah you know very well Tzadeck-sensei thank you for your hard work this semester

Really the only thing that stopped me from mentioning all of the above was a potential cramp in my wrist though. Youll also hear it regularly when depaato close. But the context I mentioned it in was basically that the song is Scottish and many Japanese believe that not to be the case. If he were looking for comparisons between new years in the gaikoku (which is what whoever asked him to do this meant by America essentially) and Japan, it will provide a nice a　へーーーーーー moment, always good for keeping the audience on their toes

chris9687 Wrote:Have fun with the speech

(P.S. if I may ask, why are you giving a speech on the differences between the U.S.A. and Japan, your profile says you`re from New Zealand.......)

It's because my class are currently looking at international relations and comparisons of cultures outside our own "backyard". Although us kiwis are pretty awesome, I thought I'd look into the relationship between Japan and USA. And in New Zealand, you'll find that most people celebrate New Year a lot more than Christmas, funnily enough. And The Boxing Day sales which come after Christmas are the days everyone actually goes shopping...

And I gave my prepared talk on Friday. I was super nervous. I'm sure the entire ten minutes I talked I was shaking as if in the middle of an earthquake. Thank you all for your help!!