Join Our Newsletter
  • Visit Our Store
  • Come Write for J-List!
J-List Blog
Visit J-List - Your Favorite Online Shop and Friend in Japan
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan
No Result
View All Result
J-List Blog
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan
No Result
View All Result
J-List Blog
No Result
View All Result

A New Year in Japan 2018

Peter Payne by Peter Payne
6 years ago
in Your Friend in Japan

New Year's Eve In Japan 02

Well, it’s time to say goodbye to another year. We hope 2018 has been a good one for you, and that you have a safe and fun crossing into 2019!

The ending of a year and the beginning of a new one is a big deal in Japan, where New Year’s Day is far and away the most important holiday of the year. The country pretty much closes down from December 29 through January 3, with most every business, museum, and gym closing for the duration. While Christmas is usually an excuse to have a loud party with friends, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are solemn events spent in contemplation on the events of the past year, and a fervent wish for good luck in the new year.

New Year’s Eve is also time to watch the biggest music show of the year, Kouhaku Uta Gassen, a “song battle” between male and female teams, who perform the best songs of the year while all of Japan watches. It’s fun to watch every year, plotting the evening bath time so I can avoid missing the acts I want to catch. Afterwards it’s time for my favorite program, Yuku Toshi, Kuru Toshi (Departing Year, Coming Year), which starts at 11:45 pm. It features camera crews sending live feeds of the thousands of people visiting beautiful Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples and Christian churches to pray for good luck as soon as the new year begins, while a narrator gives commentary on the history of each holy place, and what challenges the people visiting have faced during the year. Then without fanfare or countdown, the clock displays 0:00, and the new year has come.

I’m spending my first New Year’s in Tokyo, which has become a ghost town as most people depart for their parents’ homes to visit with family and eat mikan orange while sitting in the kotatsu. I’ll be at Meiji Jingu shrine with some friends, hoping to survive the cold long enough to offer New Year’s prayers, but knowing that there’ll be a huge number of people there. (My fallback position is Suga Shrine, seen in Your Name.)

Thanks for all your awesome support of J-List over the past year, and please have a great 2019!

New Butt And Oppai Mousepads 01

Japan doesn’t believe in doing things by half measures, as you can probably tell by the huge popularity of these life-sized oppai and oshiri mousepads from SoftGarage. J-List has enjoyed selling these fun products in 2018, and we’ll bring even more awesome ones to you in the new year. Browse them all here.

Tags: Anime

More Posts Like This

Happy News! J List's Fiscal Year End Sale Gives You The Best Anime Deals
Your Friend in Japan

Don’t Miss the Best Anime Deals in J-List’s Fiscal Year-End Clearance!

by Peter Payne
5 days ago

Can you believe it's May already? Whether we're marking time with the passing of each anime season or busily adding...

Anime Reverse Image Search Ultimate Guide
Your Friend in Japan

Find That Anime! The Ultimate Anime Reverse Image Search Guide

by Peter Payne
2 weeks ago

Don't you hate it when you've got an interesting anime image and want to find what series it's from, or...

Otaku Quiz How Many Anime Oppai Can You Identifu?

Otaku Quiz! How Many Anime Oppai Can You Identify?

3 weeks ago
Can A Boy Girl Friendship Survive? Blog Post

Here Are 5 Reasons To Watch ‘Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive?’

4 weeks ago
Pathetic Clickbait Post

Clickbait Controversy! Did a Feminist Group Try to Ban Fanservice in Anime?

4 weeks ago
Idea 3

The 20 Strangest Hentai Tags I Found While “Researching”

1 month ago
Next Post
Happy New Year 2019 01

A New Year Brings New Challenges for Japan

Trending Today

Please Put Them On Takamine San PV2 5
News

The Power of No Panties, Please Put Them On, Takamine-san

3 months ago
Haite Kudasai, Takamine San Episode 4 Featured Image
Featured

Haite Kudasai, Takamine-san, Episode 4 — Choose Your Own Adventurous Lingerie!

3 days ago
Spring 2025 Ecchi Anime Web Cover
News

Spring 2025 Ecchi Anime and Where to Watch Them

2 months ago
Shock! Manga Artists Who Also Created Hentai
Your Friend in Japan

Shock! 15 Famous Manga Artists Who Also Made Hentai

1 year ago
Nin Koro Web Cover
Featured

NinKoro — How to Get Away with Murder Ft Busty & Kawaii Waifus

1 month ago
Get the Newest Figures from J-List - Your Favorite Online Shop and Friend in Japan
Happy News! J List's Fiscal Year End Sale Gives You The Best Anime Deals
Your Friend in Japan

Don’t Miss the Best Anime Deals in J-List’s Fiscal Year-End Clearance!

by Peter Payne
May 19, 2025

Fighting Words (and Spirit) Are Why You Should Watch Wind Breaker

Yandere Dark Elf, Episode 4 — Reverse Isekai Reunion Jams Up Love Nest!

Can Kowloon Generic Romance Awaken Nostalgia for a Past You Never Lived?

Criminals Beware Detectives These Days Are Crazy!

Makina-san a Love Bot?!, Episode 7 — I Swear It’s Eye Candy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Discord
  • YouTube

© J-LIST. All trademarks, characters and images are property of their respective owners.

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan

© J-LIST. All trademarks, characters and images are property of their respective owners.

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • News
  • Gallery
  • Product Reports
  • Your Friend in Japan

© J-LIST. All trademarks, characters and images are property of their respective owners.