For us in the West, the celebration of the New Year marks the end of our Gregorian calendar, created by Pope Gregory XIII in 1528, and is intended to mark a complete rotation of the Earth around the Sun.
This is the case in Japan, which follows the Wareki calendar, created in the Meiji Era in 1873.Al it uses a system of separating days and months similar to the Western model, years and eras are separated in a completely different way.
So much so that the Japanese New Year (whose name in Japan is oshougatsu) will take place on February 4, 2024, symbolizing the beginning of the Reiwa 6, the year of the dragon.This is because the Chinese calendar is complex and takes into account natural cycles, following the patterns of solar and lunar movements, also known as lunissolar.
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How does the Japanese calendar work?
The lunar base of the Japanese calendar is based on the phases of the Moon, and uses the new moon closest to the first (in the northern hemisphere) to mark the beginning of the annual cycle.
By taking into account the translation movement of the Earth around the Sun (as well as our calendar), it can define that the year begins between the days 3, 4 and 5 February.
What are the “era” in the Japanese calendar?
Epochs in Japan are separated each time a new Emperor assumes the throne, and from there a new counting begins. Currently Japan is in the Reiwa era, which began on May 1, 2019, when Emperor Naruhito ascended, ending the Heisei era at counting 31 (Heisei 31).
Thus, the year 2019 corresponds to the year Heisei 31 until 30 April and the year Reiwa 1, which symbolically begins from 1 May 2019.
What will be the Japanese year in 2024?
In the official Japanese calendar, this year marks the beginning of Reiwa 6, as previously said. What has not been talked about is that it is born under the influence of an animal, so those born in 2024 can talk that their Japanese sign is of the dragon. Symbolically, this is a period considered promising, of power, success and good luck.
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How is Japanese New Year celebrated?
Japan is a traditionalist country with much more intimate customs than the West. The celebration of the turn of year is very different.
According to a press release, the Japanese community living in the Liberdade neighborhood in São Paulo announced that the New Year in 2024 will be celebrated with traditional dances, performances of taiko (Japanese tambores), as well as typical cuisine.
In addition, thanks to the respectful architecture of the neighborhood, it is possible to have an immersion within the traditions that focus heavily on spirituality and reverence for nature, characteristics of the Japanese people.
