Japan History and Culture

Kagami mochi(mirror mochi,鏡餅)  

Kagami mochi (a rice cake decoration for Japanese New Year’s), literally “Kagami” means a mirror and Mochi means a rice cake, which is offered to Buddha and other deities at the New Year. And the kagami mochi is decorated with objects often chosen for the lucky ideas suggested by puns on their names.

Kagami mochi consists of a stack of two round rice cakes (mochi), which round shape symbolizes fulfillment in the family. The stacked cakes indicate successfully “piling up” or adding another year to one’s life.

 The smaller placed atop the larger, and a daidai orange (a Japanese bitter orange) with an attached leaf on top, whose name means “generation”, is said to symbolize the continuation of a family from generation to generation.

In addition, it may have a piece of white paper. Some of the Kagamimochi are  decorated with a folding fan, a sheet of kombu (Kelp) and a skewer of dried persimmons under the rice cakes. It sits on a stand called a sanpō (三宝) over a sheet called a shihōbeni (四方紅), which is supposed to ward off fires from the house for the following years. Sheets of paper called gohei (御幣) folded into lightning shapes similar to those seen on sumo wrestler’s belts are also attached.

The ornamental mochi is removed on January 11 and broken into smaller pieces  before being eaten. By this time, the kagami mochi is usually quite brittle, and cracks appear on the surface. The mochi is not cut with a knife, since cutting has negative connotations (like “cutting off ties”). It’s broken with one’s hands or a hammer, and thus the ritual is called kagami biraki鏡開き(”Mirror Opening”also known as the “Rice Cutting Ceremony”). The smaller pieces are roasted and put in zenzai or shiruko (sweet soup of boiled beans) or zoni (vegetable and meat soup). By partaking of this offering to the gods, ancient people believed that they were inviting divine blessings.

The Seven-Five-Three Festival (Shichi-go-san Matsuri,七五三)

Date: November 15th or on the closest weekend day

Place: All over Japan

Shichi-Go-San literally means “seven five Three”. Odd numbers are considered lucky numbers in Japan.

One of the most important festivals for Japanese children, It is one of three major celebrations in their life. Girls of age three and seven and boys of age only five (though in some families three year old boys also) are celebrated on Shichi-go-san.
Traditionally, On Shichi-go-san the children dress up in special clothes, at the age of seven, a young girl celebrates wearing her first obi, a special sash for tying their kimonos, in a celebration called Obi-toki. While at the age of five a young boy celebrates wearing his first haori jackets and hakama pants ( a special skirt that samurais wear, in a celebration called Hakamagi ) ; in public. The age of three marks the first time that both boys and girls were allowed to let their hair grow. And are taken to a Shinto shrine to give thanks for their health and pray for their good health, growth and happy future free of sickness and misfortune.

The Shinto priest at the shrine performs a purification ceremony and then children are give shitose-ame (thousand year candy) is colored red and white (the colors of luck and celebration), in long bags decorated with turtles and cranes. These are all symbols of longevity in Japan.

The main types of formal kimono are:

• Kuro tomesode, a formal kimono for married women. Kuro means black, and tomesode implies sleeves of short width. Kuro tomesode typically have five family crests as well.

• Iro tomesode, another formal kimono for married women, though less formal than the kuro tomesode. It too has five crests and sleeves of short width. The word iro implies color, which differentiates this formal kimono from the kuro tomesode.

• Uchikake, a long robe that is an integral part of the traditional Japanese bridal costume.

• Shiromuku, another traditional bridal robe. The shiromuku is white.

• Furisode, a kimono with wide, flowing sleeves. Furisode are for single women, and are very colorful and feature ornate designs.

• Houmongi, a modified version of the furisode or tomesode. Houmongi are meant for formal visits.

• Mofuku, a kimono for mourning. The mofuku features no design or pattern.

The standard kimono pattern includes the following parts:

Length: 158 cm
Sleeve and shoulder width: 63 cm
Sleeve width: 32 cm
Shoulder width: 31 cm
Sleeve depth: 49 cm

The standard kimono pattern includes the following parts:

• Eri (collar)
• Erisaki (collar end)
• Erishita (collar underside)
• Furi (sleeve portion below the arm hole)
• Mae sode (sleeve front)
• Mae migoro (body front)
• Suso (hem)
• Senui (back middle seam)
• Ushiro migoro (body back)
• Tomoeri (collar topside)
• Ushiro sode (sleeve back)
• Sodeguchi (sleeve opening)
• Sode haba (sleeve width)
• Kata haba (shoulder width)
• Yuki (sleeve and shoulder width)
• Sodetsuke (armhole seam)
• Sodetake (sleeve depth)
• Miyatsuguchi (opening under armhole)

Kimono are clothes worn in Japan. Kimono are designed to match the seasons. They are also designed for different occasions. When a baby is born, if it is a girl, it is dressed in a white under garment and a bright yuzen or dyed kimono; if a boy is born, he wears a black kimono with the family crest on it. Another occasion for wearing a kimono is Shichi-go san.

On the “Coming of Age” day a girl wears a furisode (kimono with long flowing sleeves), a boy wears a sahaori (half-coat) and a hakama with the family crest. Only unmarried women wear a furisode. A married woman wears a tomesode. A tomesode only has a pattern on the bottom half. A colored tomesode can also be worn on formal occasions