2.  Japan and Sri Lanka give priority to their own culture.
 They celebrate many cultural events throughout the year.
The New Year Celebration
 They celebrate this event according to their own customs
by making traditional foods, playing games & giving
prominence to cultural events.
 There are both similarities and differences among Japanese
New Year and Sri Lankan New Year.

3.  When? January 1st – 3rd
 Preparation for the New Year
• Cleaning house
At the end of the year, people clean their homes more
thoroughly than usual. By getting rid of the year’s dirt,
people start out the New Year feeling refreshed.
• Year forgetting parties
• Decorations
• Making food items
• Buy new kimonos

4.  Kadomatsu
This ornament is made of pine branches arranged with bamboo and
plum sprigs. During New Year’s, it is placed in pairs at the front
entrance of homes.
 Shimekazari
This ornament is placed on the doorpost during New Year’s to drive out evil
spirits. Decorated with various lucky items like a Japanese bitter orange
which means “from generation to generation", the lobster which is a
symbol of extreme old age & the pine twigs are symbols of power and
longevity.
 Kagamimochi
This ornament is placed in an alcove or altar. Originally, it was an
offering to the gods, but many people today simply consider it a
traditional New Year decoration.

5.  People eat buckwheat noodles(としこしそば) on December
31 to wish for a long, peaceful, and healthy life. It is said
that if you are unable to finish the noodles before
midnight, you will not have financial luck in the
following year.
 The temple bell tolls on December 31 at the
stroke of midnight. The bell rings 108
times. It is said to represent the number of earthly
desires that people have. （じょやのか
ね）
 Watch the music show (こうはく歌合戦）

6.  Hatsumóde is the first visit a person makes to a temple
or shrine church to pray for peace and safety in the new
year.
 Many people, especially women and children dress in
kimono for the occasion.

7.  This special dish is eaten from January 1 through 3.
Grilled food, simmered food, and vinegary food are
arranged in multitier boxes.
 Not only does the food look gorgeous, the dish can
be kept for a long time.
 Apparently, the special food was developed to reduce
the amount of housework women had to do during
the first three days of the New Year.

8.  Otoshidama is an old tradition of Japan, in
which is supposed to bring good luck.
 During the New Year holidays, children receive small
envelopes with money from their parents and relatives.
 For many children, this is the most exciting part of the
New Year.

9.  These are greeting postcards sent to wish people a happy
New Year and express appreciation for their friendship.
 They are written in December and delivered on New
Year’s Day.
 New Year cards are with many attractive wood block
prints & illustrations which represents an enjoyable
aspect of New Year.
 Many people send them to friends, relatives, and work-
related people.
 This is similar to the custom of sending Christmas cards
in the West.

10.  There are a few traditional games played on New Year
day but their popularity had decreased in recent time.
 Some of them are,
 Takoage
 hanetsuki
 karuta
 Koma
 Fukuwarai
 sugoroku

11.  Sinhala New Year begins at a time determined by
astrological calculations.
 It is celebrated in April when sun moves from the house
of Pisces to the house of Aries.
 It also marks the end of the harvest season & Spring.
 A type of cuckoo’s melody and Erabadu flowers have a
strong association with the new year.

12.  Cleaning the house.
 Painting
 Buying new clothes according to the colour of that
year’s new year .
 Making new year foods like Mun Kawum, konda
Kawum, Kokis, Àsmi etc.

13.  Sinhala new year begins with the observance of
nonagathe.
 Nonagathe means the period of a few hours in between
the conclusion of the old year & the commencement of
the new year.
 During nonagathe people consider it as an inauspicious
time to engage with any activity.
 So people engage with religious activities during this
period.

14.  Sri Lankans attach great importance to the New Year customs &
traditions & rigidly adhere to the directions in Litha or aurudu
seettuwa.
 Aurudu activities are according to auspicious times calculated by
astrologers, to make the year happy, prosperous & lucky.
 Women congregate to play rabana to announce the time to start
performing new year rituals.
 Now a days it’s more possible to hear the sounds of fire crackers.
 New year begins with the lighting of hearth to make milk rice.
 There is an old tradition of preparing milk rice from a new crop
& is prepared the father.

15.  All the family members sit together to enjoy the meal at an
auspicious time on new year day.
 Another custom is offering betel to parents & elders as a
token of love & gratitude.
 Family members wear new clothes & exchange gifts with each
other.
 The partying really begins as families mingle sweets to
neighbors & visit relatives.
 The ceremonial bath on the last day of the old year is a very
important fact. They apply a herbal mixture called Nanu on
the body & the head before bathing because it gives physical
purification.
 There is an auspicious time to go to work.
 The aurudu customs give the signal to avoid unhealthy
manners.

16.  Chak Guddu
 Porapol
 Pancha
 Eluwan kama
 Climbing Greece pole
 Kotta pora
 Kana mutti
 Card games