I'm going to blurb about the usual celebration and customs I do during the Lunar New Year that I am depressed about missing out on this year. I'm sad that I could not go to Chua Linh Son for tet this year for new year's eve. I'm sad I didn't get to eat banh trung. I'm sad that I did not get to eat yummy food that mother and father makes to pray to Buddha and our deceased family. LOVE! And I'm sad about missing out on the gambling playing Bo Cua and black jack! And I'm deeply sad about missing out on lion dancing with the Son Long guys this year. I love you guys!~ Especially my baby!
Not very many people in the world are aware of the different cultures and customs that exist in this world. I'm not going to lie. I'm one of those people who are not aware of certain countries' culture and customs. But still. I always felt as if no one cared that Vietnamese and Koreans celebrate "Chinese" New Years. (I just wikipedia-ed and Mongolians and Tibetans celebrate the same new years.) Although the customs and traditions are similar, we're not all Chinese celebrating this holiday. It's a holiday that follows the lunar calender, thus, the Lunar New Year. I mean the way we celebrate is no different. There's lion dancing and red envelopes are given. I'm not sure about in Korea, Mongolia and Tibet, but in Vietnam we do similar things. But in Vietnam it's the year of the cat this 2011. And in China it's the rabbit. As well as Japan actually. I'm confused. All I know is that it's MY year. The big 24 this year. Whether I am a cat or a rabbit, I do not care which is accurate because I absolutely love BOTH!
So, it was a major slap in the face how Japan isn't aware of the Lunar New Year, but they do have ceremony they do today, which is Setsubun (節分). I mean, Japan isn't that far from China, Korea, or Vietnam! How can they not celebrate or know the Lunar New Year? Okay... maybe Vietnam... Anyways! No one really knew what Lunar New Year was, and no one really knew what Chinese New year was. Thank goodness I live in the city with the largest Chinatown in Japan. I wanted to skip work today to attend the festivities, but I will save my energy for Sunday for the parade.
So, let's go back to Setsubun. It's a holiday that is actually linked to the lunar calendar. So, maybe the Japanese celebrates the Lunar New Year in a certain way, but not actually calling it the new year since they celebrate new years January 1-3. It's a three-day celebration just like the Lunar New Year, but it's celebrated on January 1st according to the Gregorian calendar. Setsubun is on February 3rd and coincidentally landed on the Lunar New Year's day. There are a few customs that were traditionally followed through, but nowadays, it's not really the thing to do. Fuku Mame (fortune beans) are thrown out the door or at someone wearing a demon mask. I did not do this. People also eat roasted soybeans. You're supposed to eat the same number of soybeans as your age plus one to bring luck for the upcoming year. I did not do this. You can also go to shinto shrines for the celebrations, but if I had time to do that today, I would have gone to Chinatown and watched the lion dancing.
However, I did do one thing. I ate uncut ehoumaki (恵方巻), which is the "lucky direction roll." It's customary to eat uncut ehoumaki in silence while facing the lucky direction. This year's lucky direction is toward the south-south-east. This is determined by the Chinese Zodiac. This year is the year of the rabbit, which is MY YEAR! When looking at the compass of Chinese Zodiacs, the rabbit is at the south-south-east section of the circle. I was told by my students to eat it in silence and make a wish for the year. And did I do it? YES I DID!
This is what I was staring at in silence while stuffing my face.
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