Are you interested in Japanese holidays?
You have holidays such as Valentine’s Day, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Of course,
we also have in Japane. But do you know how we celebrate these holidays in
Japan? The ways to celebrate holidays are different from Japan to America.
First, both America and Japan have Valentine’s Day. The purpose of American Valentine’s Day is similar to the purpose of Japanese. Valentine’s Day in America is a day about love, and it’s a day for friendship and caring. Similarly, Japanese celebrate Valentine’s Day as a day to show that they care and it’s good time to prove your love and kindness. However, there is a difference between our ways to celebrate on this day. Americans exchange their presents or some treats with their lover, friends, and sometimes parents. Of course, women give a present to her boyfriend. However, it’s a specially important day for men in America. Many American men reserve a nice restaurant for Valentine’s Day. Then men take his girlfriend to the restaurant. On Valentine’s Day, they go out with their girlfriend. For example, going to a movie is popular. Then men take his girlfriend to the restaurant. They give their girlfriend some treats, flowers, a card, accessories and so on. They spend more money than women do, and make Valentine’s Day romantic. On the other hand, it’s a important day for women in Japan. Many Japanese women give some handmade treats or a present to her boyfriend, and men do nothing on Valentine’s Day. However there is what is called White Day in Japan. It’s in March 14th. It’s a day to return a favor, your kindness or love to your girlfriend or someone who gave you treats on Valentine’s Day. There are some different stories about how White Day began. One of them, because white has happiness or auspicious meaning, so one confectionery company established White Day on a day one month after Valentine’s Day. It’s not a day to give a white chocolate to his girlfriend. Any present is allowed and many Japanese men give that their girlfriend wants. In addition, Japanese Valentine’s Day is sometimes just a duty for people. Some Japanese women give treats to man their boss in an office, their acquaintance, anyone you care. They basically give a chocolate that they bought in the store, not handmade. Like this, our purpose of Valentine’s Day is similar, but American Valentine’s Day is more romantic day than Japan.
Second, both America and Japan celebrate Christmas; however, the ways to celebrate are very different. First, while Americans spend Christmas with their families, Japanese spend Christmas and Christmas Eve with their girlfriend or boyfriend, and they go on romantic dates, so most Japanese try to get a boyfriend or a girlfriend by Christmas. Second, while Americans eat turkey, ham, pie, cookies and candy, Japanese eat fried chicken, and Christmas cake. In Japan, it is common to eat Christmas cake, and there are many kind of Christmas cake. For example, the cake decorated with a sugar doll like Santa Claus, or animation characters for children. Most people order Christmas cake in adavance. Third, in America, you can feel the Christmas mood until the end of December, but in Japan, the Christmas mood quickly turns into the New Year’s mood. From this, you know that Christmas is the most important day for Americans, and New Year’s Day is the most important for Japanese. Finally, there are some things American do, but Japanese don’t do. For example, American children prepare cookies and milk for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, and most Americans go to church. This is not common in Japan. Like this, the ways to celebrate Christmas are very different America from Japan.
There are also some differences between America and Japan about how to celebrate New Year’s Day. First, the big difference is how to spend that day. New Year’s Day is a very important day for all Japanese, like Americans think Christmas is one of the most important events. In Japan, people worship at a shrine to pray for their good health and happiness, and eat traditional dishes which are called “ozouni” and “osechi” in their homes. Ozouni is a special soup containing rice cake, and osechi is using many foods representing health, happiness and a good harvest. Also, houses are cleaned and decorations are hung to welcome back the God which we believe. The New Year celebration is a joyous time that lasts several days. However, in America, some people celebrate the New Year their own way, but many people don’t do anything special. Next, the difference is person who spends that day In Japan, people usually spend that day with family and some relatives, in other words, New Year’s Day is family event for Japanese. However, American people spend it with their friends and a boyfriend or a girlfriend. It’s an interesting point of culture difference. Then, there are some differences how to spend the last day of a year. In Japan, people ring a shrine bell, watch a famous song contest on TV and eat buckwheat noodles, because buckwheat noodles are long, so they wish represent a long life like a length of buckwheat noodles. They spend it quietly. In contrast, in America, people hold parties, drink alcohol, sing Auld Lanqe Syne. They spend it pleasantly. It’s interesting point too. I think there are more differences between America and Japan. It’s very fun to look for them!
We introduced three holidays, Valentine’s Day, Christmas and New Year’s Day. We learned about many culture differences between America and Japan. We thought it was very interesting. There are more differences, so we want to study culture difference more and more. It was good time to understand it.
First, both America and Japan have Valentine’s Day. The purpose of American Valentine’s Day is similar to the purpose of Japanese. Valentine’s Day in America is a day about love, and it’s a day for friendship and caring. Similarly, Japanese celebrate Valentine’s Day as a day to show that they care and it’s good time to prove your love and kindness. However, there is a difference between our ways to celebrate on this day. Americans exchange their presents or some treats with their lover, friends, and sometimes parents. Of course, women give a present to her boyfriend. However, it’s a specially important day for men in America. Many American men reserve a nice restaurant for Valentine’s Day. Then men take his girlfriend to the restaurant. On Valentine’s Day, they go out with their girlfriend. For example, going to a movie is popular. Then men take his girlfriend to the restaurant. They give their girlfriend some treats, flowers, a card, accessories and so on. They spend more money than women do, and make Valentine’s Day romantic. On the other hand, it’s a important day for women in Japan. Many Japanese women give some handmade treats or a present to her boyfriend, and men do nothing on Valentine’s Day. However there is what is called White Day in Japan. It’s in March 14th. It’s a day to return a favor, your kindness or love to your girlfriend or someone who gave you treats on Valentine’s Day. There are some different stories about how White Day began. One of them, because white has happiness or auspicious meaning, so one confectionery company established White Day on a day one month after Valentine’s Day. It’s not a day to give a white chocolate to his girlfriend. Any present is allowed and many Japanese men give that their girlfriend wants. In addition, Japanese Valentine’s Day is sometimes just a duty for people. Some Japanese women give treats to man their boss in an office, their acquaintance, anyone you care. They basically give a chocolate that they bought in the store, not handmade. Like this, our purpose of Valentine’s Day is similar, but American Valentine’s Day is more romantic day than Japan.
Second, both America and Japan celebrate Christmas; however, the ways to celebrate are very different. First, while Americans spend Christmas with their families, Japanese spend Christmas and Christmas Eve with their girlfriend or boyfriend, and they go on romantic dates, so most Japanese try to get a boyfriend or a girlfriend by Christmas. Second, while Americans eat turkey, ham, pie, cookies and candy, Japanese eat fried chicken, and Christmas cake. In Japan, it is common to eat Christmas cake, and there are many kind of Christmas cake. For example, the cake decorated with a sugar doll like Santa Claus, or animation characters for children. Most people order Christmas cake in adavance. Third, in America, you can feel the Christmas mood until the end of December, but in Japan, the Christmas mood quickly turns into the New Year’s mood. From this, you know that Christmas is the most important day for Americans, and New Year’s Day is the most important for Japanese. Finally, there are some things American do, but Japanese don’t do. For example, American children prepare cookies and milk for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, and most Americans go to church. This is not common in Japan. Like this, the ways to celebrate Christmas are very different America from Japan.
There are also some differences between America and Japan about how to celebrate New Year’s Day. First, the big difference is how to spend that day. New Year’s Day is a very important day for all Japanese, like Americans think Christmas is one of the most important events. In Japan, people worship at a shrine to pray for their good health and happiness, and eat traditional dishes which are called “ozouni” and “osechi” in their homes. Ozouni is a special soup containing rice cake, and osechi is using many foods representing health, happiness and a good harvest. Also, houses are cleaned and decorations are hung to welcome back the God which we believe. The New Year celebration is a joyous time that lasts several days. However, in America, some people celebrate the New Year their own way, but many people don’t do anything special. Next, the difference is person who spends that day In Japan, people usually spend that day with family and some relatives, in other words, New Year’s Day is family event for Japanese. However, American people spend it with their friends and a boyfriend or a girlfriend. It’s an interesting point of culture difference. Then, there are some differences how to spend the last day of a year. In Japan, people ring a shrine bell, watch a famous song contest on TV and eat buckwheat noodles, because buckwheat noodles are long, so they wish represent a long life like a length of buckwheat noodles. They spend it quietly. In contrast, in America, people hold parties, drink alcohol, sing Auld Lanqe Syne. They spend it pleasantly. It’s interesting point too. I think there are more differences between America and Japan. It’s very fun to look for them!
We introduced three holidays, Valentine’s Day, Christmas and New Year’s Day. We learned about many culture differences between America and Japan. We thought it was very interesting. There are more differences, so we want to study culture difference more and more. It was good time to understand it.