Two cultures meet in one place: Okinawa, Japan
New year in Okinawa and the surrounding islands is no less important than it is for mainland Japan. Stretching from December 28th to January 3rd, it is Japan’s longest holiday and is generally seen as a time to be spent with family. In that respect, Okinawa is no different. What sets Okinawa apart from the mainland, besides its mild sub-tropical climate, are the unique trappings of Okinawan culture that find their way into the various celebrations. Let’s take a look at some of these Okinawa New Year traditions to find out what makes them so special.
New Year Dishes for Health, Long Life and Prosperity
For example, kazunoko are tiny herring eggs that symbolize success and prosperity for your offspring. Kuromame, which signifies good health arising from hard work, is made from sweet, soft black beans with a slight flavor of soy sauce (known in Japan as shoyu). Tazukuri is tiny dried sardines cooked with rice wine (sake) and a variety of seasonings, served in anticipation of a bountiful catch and a rich harvest. Konbumaki is basically a sushi roll stuffed with salmon or chicken signifying general good luck in the year to come and ebi, or shrimp, is eaten symbolically to promote long life since the whiskers of the shrimp are reminiscent of an old man’s beard.
First sunrise of the year.
Hatsumode, the first yearly visit to a shrine, is as popular a tradition during the Okinawa New Year as it is in the rest of Japan. On the main island, the most popular shrines to visit are Naminoue Jinja and Gokoku Jinja in Naha, as well as Futenma Jinja a bit further north (be careful of this one, because parking is limited). Travelers to the outer islands can visit shrines like this historic Miyako Jinga on Miyakojima. At all of the shrines, visitors can purchase omikuji, little papers printed with fortunes for the new year, which are drawn at random, read, then tied to pine trees or specialized racks set up just for the purpose.
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