As you know I moved to Japan recently and I am working so that 'to get used to life in the culture and habits of the Japanese. Just this year I looked down the Christmas tree, not 'cause I do not like, indeed, I have always loved to set it up with my brothers, but this year, either to my intention not to overdo it with the events of 'Italian' " in my new home, either to the lack of people who share a passion for the tree (my husband did not never appreciated ... soon you will also understand why '..) the Christmas tree is not' even been purchased.
Wanting to follow the strong traditions nipponiche immediately complicit my new little friends Kazu and Yukina, I started to study the techniques of preparation of the infamous 年 贺 状 (nengajou). What 'the nengajou ? You can not even hope to live in this country without knowing it, since 'the custom is common to all those who are part of the company' (see my previous posts, the 社会 人 (shakaijin , those who are part of the company 'Japanese workers and that as such they have rights but also duties! One of these 'preparation nengajou ).
The nengajou and' the New Year greeting card, ranging from simple white card with two sentences to wish a happy new year until you get to real works of art, with collage of 和 纸 (washi , Japanese rice paper) and flakes of gold, with delicate 俳 句 (haiku , short Japanese poetry) masterfully designed and carefully signed with your 印鉴 (inkan , personal stamp that serves as a formal signature, used by all opportunities in the Japanese bureaucracy). Well .. I've always left literally eyes on these wonders of Japan's culture ... and I could not help but to prepare for my time, trying to give it a touch of my personality '.
Firstly, I am going to inspire me in the temple of nengajou : ITOYA shop in Ginza, 8 floors of office for me heaven. Please give a 'look at the site to realize the wonders that can be purchased here: http://www.ito-ya.co.jp
After you appreciate the work on display by Itoya I bought some beautiful color labels and a variety of sparkling, the Japanese paper with good luck to those old characters, then a pair of stamps with characters, the inevitable 筆 ペン (fudepen , which mimics the pen writing Fude of the brush to the exercise of Japanese calligraphy) and a lot of paper Japanese.
In Japan follows the Chinese calendar fetus, for which every year and 'characterized by an animal, with cycles of twelve years each year and and' the turn of RABBIT, why nengajou of 2011 will see the protagonist sympathetic and prolific pet! I preferred to avoid buying stamps with the rabbits because they 'already' next year I will not 'more' used because (it can 'only do so in 12 years! And because the stamps are quite expensive .. well ... never mind the eto!).
After returning from my purchases, I started work and this' scenario when I take this inspiration
A beautiful chaos, there '... and what about all this in my pussy I "helped" by playing with the precious paper washi torn all! Thank goodness then put it in unless ...
People who wish a happy 2011 were numerous this year ... so I've really done on this night kotatsu (Japanese low table with built-in stove)! Thank goodness and that 'I have suffered cold and not heated (see previous post) ...
And here is the result of my labors, not yet lived up to my expectations but I promise that next year the lighthouse 'better, especially' cause I'm going to attend a Shuji (calligraphy Traditional):
Then the cards were shipped in the coming days and reaches its destination in Italy .. just do it (who knows' when ..) in Japan regularly Jan. 1, because when you go to the post office enough to indicate that it is neng and the cards will be carefully delivered from the new year (Woe to receive neng the 31 ... 'cause there in Japanese' formula of "Happy New Year" is valid until December 31 and one that can 'only be used by January 1 ... so ... eye!)
Returning to our Christmas tree, here in Japan it does not and 'other than the symbol of Christmas, Western, and even of X'mas (Christmas American with lots of turkey and X'mas cake!)' cause this Christmas' synonymous with buying for whom and 'sufficiently trendy (and has a lot of money to spend on a turkey modest sum of 70 Euro!) to afford to make the' "ammerigano ... not know what I mean.
usually Young people like to celebrate Christmas in good company. Here in Japan the day before seems our February 14 hotels overbooked , trendy restaurants booked for months, sales of diamonds like bread ... 'cause Christmas is the better half', you can dine by candlelight and after dinner '... crackling like fireworks! So imagine what sense can get my Italian in all of this tree ...
Yes', of course, HO-HO! There 's the good Santa Claus (here they call Santa-san) who brings gifts to children, but it' s a tradition of American accent that only children whose parents are really trendy ... just follow those "cool" expect お正月 (O-shougatsu , the Japanese New Year) when the whole family will eat おせ ち 料理 O-Sechi Ryouri (small traditional delicacies served in bite into beautiful red and black lacquer boxes (I promise lots of photos when I come back 'from Osaka, a city' s hometown of my husband, where his father, a professional chef, will prepare us' O-Sechi with her expert hands!).
During the slow tasting of 'O-Sechi Ryouri watching traditional TV-New Year where two groups of famous people (women and characterized by the red men who are white instead) vie for the prize to the sound of karaoke! At the stroke of midnight toast and more happily 'daring to go to お参り, O-Mairi (the first visit to the Shinto shrine of the year) ... but often let the feast and the cold makes the guests of mere invertebrates unable to get out of this .... kotatsu
This' as broadly as promised ... but I will tell you 'the Japanese New Year when I have' collected visual evidence to share with you! !
So, friends, that yours is a sweet Christmas ... and 'everything from the rising sun!
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