What is a Kadomatsu and where to place it?
A Kadomatsu is a traditional Japanese decoration that is usually placed in front of houses to serve the purpose of welcoming ancestral spirits or kami of the harvest season. They are placed after the Christmas celebrations and left until January 7-15.
What is Kadomatsu or Kokoro?
What is ‘Kokoro’? Kadomatsu is a decoration with three cut pieces of bamboo and pine for the Japanese New Year’s holiday. After Christmas, you will see this decoration at the entrances of houses and buildings in Japan.
What is Kadomatsu made of?
Kadomatsu is made from bamboo, pine, and ume trees. The make and the design of the Kadomatsu vary depending on the regions that they were made in. The core purpose of the New Year ceremonies is usually to give respect and honor to the toshigami, a god that is believed to be responsible for bumper harvests.
Why is bamboo used in Kadomatsu decoration?
Even though the bamboo looks important, the pine tree is essential to the decoration. The bamboo is the most appealing in the decoration. Bamboo started being associated with kadomatsu during the samurai society period.
When should the kadomatsu be taken down?
The time to take them down is slightly different depending on the area, but please keep it as a decoration until January 7th. Toshigami-sama is believed to stay at your house until January 7th, so it will be disrespectful to take it down any earlier than that.
What do you do with kadomatsu after New Years?
Traditionally, we keep the Kadomatsu until Jan. 15, after which we burn them to release Toshigami-sama.
How long do you keep kadomatsu up?
The proper period to keep your kadomatsu has the change in year as its center point. For instance, if you set your kadomatsu five days before the end of the year, it must be taken down and burned five days into the new year. Burning your kadomatsu is important to release these elements as offerings to the gods.
Where does kadomatsu go?
From December 26 onward, (excluding the 29 and 31 for symbolic reasons), kadomatsu are placed in front of the entrance ways of most buildings all across Japan. But come January 15, an event known as Dondoyaki takes place, wherein kadomatsu and other New Year's decorations are ritualistically burned.
Is kadomatsu religious?
“It is a time for families to gather, but it is also an important religious event. It is our custom to cleanse our house and visit the temple to expel evil spirits so that on New Year's Eve we can be ready to welcome Toshigami [god of the incoming year] and receive a blessing.”
What are the 3 parts of the kadomatsu?
Kadomatsu are typically made from bamboo, pine or ume trees. Bamboo trees signify longevity, pines represent prosperity, and ume represent steadfastness. The center of Kodamatsu is usually made from three bamboo shoots.
How do you dispose of kadomatsu?
The official way to dispose of kadomatsu is to burn them in a ceremony called ” Dondoyaki “, but you can also dispose of them on trash day if you purify them.
What does a kadomatsu look like?
Kadomatsu are placed around arches, entrances and finish lines and are usually colored white with a single Japanese character. When a driver gets near a kadomatsu, they can hear a dulcimer.
What is kadomatsu made of?
Designs for kadomatsu vary depending on region but are typically made of pine, bamboo, and sometimes ume tree sprigs which represent longevity, prosperity and steadfastness, respectively.
What are Japanese lucky bags?
Fukubukuro (福袋, Japanese: [ɸɯ̥kɯbɯꜜkɯɾo] "lucky bag") is a Japanese New Year custom in which merchants make grab bags filled with unknown random contents and sell them for a substantial discount, usually 50% or more off the list price of the items contained within.
What do Japanese decorate their house with for Lunar New Year?
Towards the end of December, you will see pine, bamboo, and rope-like decorations adorning homes, stores, and other buildings to welcome in the new year in Japan.
How do Japanese decorate for New Years?
The decorations commonly consist of kadomatsu (three bits of bamboo and some pine leaves), kagamimochi (two tiers of mochi, or rice cakes with a tangerine on top), and shimekazari (a New Year's wreath). The decoration timing is also very important.
What are Japanese New Year decorations?
One of the most typical New Year's ornaments that you can found in any store or supermarket with different designs and sizes is the kagamimochi (鏡餅). Traditionally it was made with two mochis (rice paste) rounded stacked one on top of the other and above all a tangerine or Japanese bitter orange called daidai (橙).
What is Nengajo in Japan?
Nengajo are special Japanese New Year's cards that come with domestic postage included. They can be bought from stationery stores around Fukuoka such as Loft, but a great place to start is Fukuoka's Central Post Office.
What is the central portion of a kadomatsu?
The central portion of the kadomatsu is formed from three large bamboos, though plastic kadomatsu are available. Similar to several traditions of ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement), the bamboos are set at different heights and represent heaven, humanity, and earth with heaven being the highest and earth being the lowest.
What are kadomatsu made of?
Designs for kadomatsu vary depending on region but are typically made of pine, bamboo, and sometimes ume tree sprigs which represent longevity, prosperity and steadfastness, respectively.
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What is a typical kadomatsu?
A typical kadomatsu. Even though there are some variations, a typical kadomatsu usually includes the following elements. Pine tree. The word “kadomatsu” in the Japanese language includes the kanji character for pine tree (“ matsu ”), so pine is the principal plant used in the decoration.
What is the oblique cut kadomatsu?
Oblique cut kadomatsu have become very popular. The other one is an oblique cut , much like being slashed with a sword. This style is said to have been started by the first Tokugawa shogun. When he lost a battle during his career, he slashed a bamboo instead of his rival, and wished for a win in his next battle.
What is the difference between kadomatsu and oblique cut?
During the year-end and New Year’s holidays, various types of kadomatsu decorations can be seen in Japan. The major difference is the cut edge of the bamboo. One style is horizontally cut, which is the original one. Oblique cut kadomatsu have become very popular. The other one is an oblique cut, much like being slashed with a sword.
When to take down Toshigami Sama?
Toshigami-sama is believed to stay at your house until January 7th, so it will be disrespectful to take it down any earlier than that.
When do you take down the Kadomatsu?
The holy kadomatsu has two rules as to when you should set up and take them down. You must refrain from setting it up on December 29th and 31st. The 29th is believed to be an unlucky day because of its pronunciation (“stand on and suffer” in Japanese).
What is the traditional Japanese New Year's decoration?
お問い合わせ. The Kadomatsu Decoration, Traditional of the Japanese New Year’s Holiday. Amélie Geeraert / December 16, 2020. Kadomatsu is a decoration with three cut pieces of bamboo and pine for the Japanese New Year’s holiday. After Christmas, you will see this decoration at the entrances of houses and buildings in Japan.
What is the purpose of kadomatsu?
The purpose of kadomatsu is to attract Toshigami-sama and give her space to stay for a short time. It is known as yorishiro. If you decorate kagamimochi in your house, Toshigami-sama will come into your house and stay in the kagamimochi during the oshögatsu period.
When should kadomatsu be in stores?
So, clearly no kadomatsu should be in stores before Dec. 13th. Sadly, in Hawai‘i, some stores ignore the custom and start selling kadomatsu before the 13th. It seems that these stores care only about their own profits and/or may not be aware of the traditions.
When do you burn kadomatsu?
Traditionally, we keep the Kadomatsu until Jan. 15, after which we burn them to release Toshigami-sama. However, some areas keep their kadomatsu until Jan. 7. The day varies depending on the region. Aiko Takayama is from a rice farming family in Niigata, Japan.
Why is Toshigami Sama considered a female?
Toshigami-sama is also thought to be female, so if females put the New Year’s decorations, she avoids visiting those houses.
What is kadomatsu made of?
Kadomatsu is made from 3 diagonally cut bamboo pieces of different sizes and pine or ume twigs tied together with a straw rope. Every kadomatsu item has a spiritual meaning: the bamboo is a symbol of strength and prosperity and the pine symbolizes long life. Also, the 3 bamboo pieces represent heaven (the tallest one), humanity (the medium one) and the earth.
Where is the Kadomatsu Festival?
Travel tip: In Fukuoka, in Miyawaka City , starting with the first Saturday of December, takes place the Greatest Kadomatsu Festival in Japan. The festival lasts until the middle of January and the main attractions are the two giant kadomatsu made especially for the festival: 11 meters tall, with a diameter of 5 meters!
Construction and Installation of Kadomatsu
History and Origin of Kadomatsu
- The traditions and practices of Kadomatsu trace its origin in China. The practice of using Kadomatsu dates back to the 7th century. The Kadomatsu was practiced in Japan in the 8th century and it is believed that it had diffused from China to Japan. The Kadomatsu were earlier made from pine and other related materials only. Kadomatsu made of a combination of bambo…
What Purposes Do Kadomatsu Serve?
- The Kadomatsu are placed to mark the New Year celebrations. They are placed immediately after Christmas holidays and they are supposed to usher in a new year. The Kadomatsu serve the purpose of bringing a bountiful year to the residents and the users of the building. The gods of a bumper harvest are invited to be amongst the dwellers to the place. ...
Overview
Kadomatsu (門松, "gate pine") are traditional Japanese decorations made for the New Year's. They are a type of yorishiro, or objects intended to welcome ancestral spirits or kami of the harvest. . Kadomatsu are usually placed in pairs in front of homes and buildings.
Construction and placement
Historically, kadomatsu was often made with pine wood, but these days bamboo is more common. The central portion of the kadomatsu is formed from three large bamboos, though plastic kadomatsu are available. After binding all the elements of the kadomatsu, it is bound with a straw mat and newly woven straw rope. Kadomatsu are placed in pairs on either side of the gate, representing male and female.
Usage
In modern times, kadomatsu are placed after Christmas until January 7 (or January 15 during the Edo period) and are considered temporary housing (shintai) for kami. Designs for kadomatsu vary depending on region but are typically made of pine, bamboo, and sometimes ume tree sprigs which represent longevity, prosperity and steadfastness, respectively. "The fundamental function of the New Year ceremonies is to honor and receive the toshigami (deity), who will then bring a bountifu…
Other imformation
The kadomatsu is included in Unicode as U+1F38D 🎍 PINE DECORATION.
See also
• Christmas tree
• Christmas wreath
• Corn dolly
• Mistletoe
• New Year tree