【N5-N4】#117 How do we spend New Years in Japan? / Japanese podcast for beginners

Japanese New Year Traditions (Oshogatsu)
📌 Japanese New Year is considered the most important holiday, typically spanning from around December 28th to January 5th for many companies.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The tradition involves returning to one's hometown to spend time relaxing with family and relatives.
🍣 On New Year's Eve (Ōmisoka), families gather for a large dinner, often eating sushi, while adults drink alcohol and children have juice.

New Year's Eve Activities
📺 Popular TV programs on New Year's Eve include the famous NHK music program, comedy shows like "Gaki no Tsukai," and martial arts matches.
🥢 Before midnight, it is customary to eat Toshikoshi Soba (year-crossing noodles), usually around 11:00 PM at the speaker's house.
🎉 After the countdown and exchanging New Year's greetings, adults usually go to bed, while children stay up playing games or watching TV.

New Year's Day and Beyond
🍚 On January 1st, breakfast often consists of Osechi Ryori (traditional, elaborate cuisine) and Zōni (a soup containing mochi).
🧧 Children highly anticipate receiving Otoshidama (money gifts) from parents and relatives, which is typically spent on games or sweets.
😌 January 1st is often spent relaxing, watching long broadcasts of anime like *One Piece* or *Dragon Ball*, or playing newly received games.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ The Japanese New Year experience contrasts sharply with Western New Year celebrations, where the speaker noted it felt strange to go to nightclubs on New Year's, as Japanese tradition is more family-oriented.
➡️ Osechi Ryori preparation is extensive, leading most families today to order it instead of making it from scratch.
➡️ The speaker emphasized that the holiday period is a truly happy time filled with family, good food, and staying up late, especially for children.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Nov 30, 2025, 14:04 UTC