The New Year holidays is a very special time of the year for the Japanese. Like the Christmas holidays of the West, schools and many businesses close, and family members get together. We enjoy special New Year’s food on these holidays. The most popular New Year’s food is osechi, which is a combination of foods beautifully arranged in lacquer boxes.

Osechi



There are also traditional games for the New Year holidays. Hanetsuki is a game like badminton played with beautifully decorated paddles.

Hanetsuki



Children also like to fly kites.

fly kites



We also play Japanese card games called karuta or hanafuda.

Karuta



Hanafuda