Japan History and Culture

An arrow for the New Year (Hamaya, 破魔矢)

A talisman bought at the New Year in a shrine or temple with the wish for good luck.also used in rituals of exorcism. It is a sacred arrow with a white feather used as a special charm for good fortune.

Hamaya, Literally, “demon-breaking arrow,” a decorative arrow sold at Shinto shrines during at New Year’s to ward off misfortune and to attract good luck. Hamaya are popular among New Year’s visitors to shrines as one type of good-luck charm or engimono. From the Edo to the early Meiji period, hamaya were given as gifts to celebrate the first New Year of a male baby’s life, frequently in a set together with a pair of decorative bows called hamayumi (“demon-breaking bows”).

The custom of selling the arrow alone is thought to be a later abbreviation of this custom. Even today, the custom persists of standing such symbolic bows and arrows at the northeast and southwest corners of a new house (called kimon 鬼門, the directions thought particularly susceptible to evil influences) on the occasion of the roof-raising ceremonies (jōtōsai).

The etymological significance of hama is not clear, but it is said to have been an ancient word for an archery target or an archery contest. The practice of making round targets of braided bamboo or straw, or circles of wood, and throwing them into the air or rolling them on the ground as archery targets was a common children’s pastime, but it was also known as a form of New Year’s divination used to foretell the fortunes of the coming year (toshiura).

When these elements are considered in the context of the current use of hamaya as New Year’s good-luck charms, one must consider that the current interpretation of hamaya and hamayumi as “demon-quelling” arrows and bows was rejected by the Edo-period scholar Ise Sadafumi, who asserted that the characters used to express hama were originally adopted merely for their sound, and that the word’s true meaning lay elsewhere.

Otoso or Toso (お屠蘇)

Toso is written using two Japanese characters: 蘇 representing evil spirits and 屠 meaning to defeat.

Toso, is spiced medicinal sake traditionally drunk on New Year Day (Oshogatsu) to ward off sickness for the entire year ahead and to wish for long happy life. For generations it has been said that “if one person drinks this his family will not fall ill; if the whole family does no-one in the village will fall ill”, Toso was initially made and taken in order to protect oneself from the cold. It later became an essential drink to celebrate the New Year.

Toso mixture is prepared by mixing several herbs including Sanshou (Japanese pepper), Kikyou (balloonflower) and Heihi (cassis bark). Then the toso mixture is steeped with sake and mirin (sweetened sake).  Otoso is drunk using a special set of three different sizes of sake cups: small, medium and large , called sakazuki (盃). It is customary for the youngest in the family to drink it before the oldest, though this varies by region. This custom originated in China where younger people would test it first for toxins.  However in Japan, around the beginning of the Meiji or Shōwa periods, the head of the household usually takes first to drink the toso which then became the custom.

The tradition of drinking toso at the New Year began in the Tang Dynasty in China, and was adopted by Japanese aristocrats during the Heian period. The first cup drunk would be made with tososan, and the second and third cups with different varieties called byakusan and toshōsan.

Nanakusa-gayu (seven herb rice porridge,七草粥)

Nanakusagayu, literally Nana means seven, kusa means leaves (or herbs), and Gayu (Kayu) means rice porridge.

On January 7th it is Japanese tradition from old times, to eat nanakusa-gayu (seven herb rice porridge). This is o-kayu (rice porridge, much like Chinese congee) cooked with haru no nanakusa (the seven herbs of spring). These herbs are: ‘Seri (dropwort), Nazuna (shepherb’s purse), Gogyou (cotton weed), Hakobera (chickweed), Hotokenoza (cotton sow thistle), Suzuna (turnip), Suzushiro (Japanese white radish)

The Japanese people as special herbs that protect them against evil, prevent illness and longevity. Also, people tend to eat and drink too much on New Year’s Day; therefore it is an ideal light and healthy meal with a lot of vitamins.


INGREDIENTS

-2 cup raw Japanese white rice (kome)
-1 pack seven spring herbs mix (nanakusa)
-4 rice cake (mochi) pickled dried plum (umeboshi)

PREPARATION

1.    Wash the rice, add to a sturdy pot (an earthenware pot is best), along with the salt and water.
2.    Let it soak for 30 minutes, then cover, bring to boil over medium heat, turn heat to low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Unlike regular rice, it’s OK to open the lid now again to check things out, give it a stir, and add more water if needed
3.    Wash the seven herbs, cut in fine pieces.
4.    Grill rice cake.
5.    Add herbs to porridge.
6.    Pour porridge over rice cake put in individual bowl. And Serve with pickled dried plum.

Serves 4

Haru no nanakusa (the seven herbs of spring, 春の七草)

Haru no Nanakusakayu (the seven kinds of herbs of Spring), literally Haru no means spring’s, Nana means 7, kusa means herbs. It is the long-standing Japanese customary to eat nanakusa-gayu (seven herb rice porridge七草粥) with the cutting seven spring herbs on January 7th in Japan.

Traditionally, The 7 herbs are: Seri (Japanese parsley), nazuna (Shepard’s purse), gokyou (cotton weed), hakobera (chickweed), hotokenoza (Nipplewort), suzuna (like turnip), and suzushiro (Daikon).

Eating these greens is thought to replenish the body with energy from nature and to encourage good health, good spirits and extended longevity for the coming year. It’s a time-honored custom that’s also very practical, since the herbs are a good remedy for indigestion from having had too much mochi (rice cakes) and other New Year’s delicacies over the holidays.

Today, it is easy to find these fresh herbs in supermarkets, and some flower shops sell decorative versions planted in small baskets.

Hatsuyume (First Dream, 初夢)

Hatsuyume is the Japanese word for the first dream had in the New Year.

Hatsuyume, literally hatsu means first, yume means dream in Japanese,the night of  December 31 was often passed without sleeping, thus the hatsuyume was often the dream seen the night of January 1. This explains why January 2 (the day after the night of the “first dream”) is gives the name to the second day of the year in the traditional Japanese calendar.

Traditionally, the contents of the dream would foretell the luck of the dreamer in the ensuing year. There is an old saying, Mt. Fuji (Ichi-fuji, 一富士), a hawk (ni-taka, 二鷹) or an eggplant (san-nasubi, 三茄子or nasu, 成す), it indicates the three best things to have in your first dream. If you dream of three things, you will have good fortune during the year. This belief has been in place since the early Edo period but there are various theories regarding the origins as to why this particular combination was considered to be auspicious. One theory suggests that this combination is lucky because Mount Fuji is Japan’s highest mountain, a hawk is a clever and strong bird, and the word for eggplant (nasu or nasubi 茄子) has the same sound as the word “nasu 成す” which means achieving something great.