Autumn Sky Tree

Last weekend we went to the Tokyo Sky Tree.

(We didn’t go inside the tower. I have done that before).

The Sky Tree is illuminated at night in various colors every evening.
When we went it was lit up orange for the start of autumn.

We did go in the adjacent 「空町」 (“Sola-machi“) (lit. “Sky City“) shopping center.

Drinks in a traditional Japanese candy store.

Retro Japanese toys.

Japan’s “Hello Kitty” meets American rock band “KISS”.

From there, we walked to the nearby neighborhood of Asakusa.

「みくじ　百円」 (“Fortunes, ¥100”)

Year of the Dragon

It’s now 2012 January 1. 明けましておめでとうございます！ (“Happy New Year!”)

2012 is 「辰年」 (the “Year of the Dragon”) according to the Chinese zodiac which is popular in many Asian countries, including Japan.

If you want to know what year you were born in according to the Chinese zodiac, check on this chart.

The chart above translates the year “animals” into English…but they can be translated slightly differently too.
For example, ネズミ年 (Year of the Rat) can also be called “Year of the Mouse”.

I prefer to translate them as such:
+ 子年 : Year of the Mouse
+ 丑年 : Year of the Ox (or Cow)
+ 寅年　: Year of the Tiger
+ 兔年 : Year of the Rabbit
+ 辰年 : Year of the Dragon (this year)
+ 巳年 : Year of the Snake
+ 午年 : Year of the Horse
+ 未年 : Year of the Sheep (or Ram)
+ 申年 : Year of the Monkey
+ 酉年 : Year of the Rooster (or Chicken)
+ 戌年 : Year of the Dog
+　亥年 : Year of the Wild Boar (or Pig)

Chinese New Year

Today is New Years Eve in China. The last day of the 子年 (“Year Of The Mouse”).

If you’re in the area, and you have a chance, I recommend going to 横浜中華街 (Yokohama Chinatown) in 横浜 (Yokohama, Japan) tomorrow.

If you went there tonight, they are having New Years Eve celebrations as I write this.
But if you can go there tomorrow (Monday, January 26, 2009), that’s when the bigger celebrations will happen.

The most famous is the parade with the Chinese dragon dance.

(The Japanese version of this is the 金竜の舞い (“Golden Dragon Festival”) in Tokyo every March (Click here to read a bit about this festival on my “Festivals In Tokyo” page)):

As in Japan, New Years is China’s biggest holiday.
Actually there are a number of similarities between Chinese and Japanese New Years…although in Japan, the details are Japanese style and in China, they’re uniquely Chinese, of course.
For example, just like New Years in Japan, in China New Years is a time for getting together with family for a big traditional dinner and first visit of the year to a temple and family grave.
Also, in both countries, children receive お年玉 (gift money) in a special envelope. In Japan, the envelope is usually white with cartoon characters on it…in China, it’s almost always red (red is a lucky color in China).

Japan uses the Chinese horoscope with twelve creatures. So, January 1, 2009 began the 丑年 (“Year Of The Cow”) in Japan…and in China, the “Year Of The Cow” begins tomorrow.

Also, both countries have their own unique calendar. So, the official year in Japan is currently 平成二十一年 (Heisei 21). In China, tomorrow will begin the year 4706!

Click here to read the short bit I wrote about Chinese New Year in Yokohama Chinatown on my “Festivals In Tokyo” page.

Also, I’ve been living in Japan since 1990, so I know about Japan’s culture, holidays, etc…but I don’t know much about China. So, the parts I wrote in this post regarding China are based on what I’ve read and heard over the years.

(I also wrote about Japanese New Years, of course. Click here and here to read about it.)

明けましておめでとうございます

明けましておめでとうございます (Happy New Year)!

It’s now the year 平成二十一年 (Heisei 21 (2009))…丑年 (Year Of The Cow / Ox).

(Click here to read my FAQ about お正月 (Japanese New Years)).

Today, as we usually do at お正月 (New Years), we went to my inlaws’ for dinner. And, as usual, my wife’s grandmother (who’s 94 years old now!), her aunt and uncle, and her brothers and sister (and their spouses and kids) all came too. A total of twenty people! So there was lots of family and lots of great food.

刺身 (Sashimi), 海老フライ (fried shrimp), 御節料理 (traditional Japanese New Years foods), 日本酒 (Japanese sake rice wine), beer, and wine.

I ate alot of great food…and drank alot of alcohol. 😉

Besides getting together with family and eating a traditional New Years meal…at お正月 (New Years), many Japanese people go to a shrine for New Years blessings (and traditional New Years lucky ornaments (such as Daruma), go to the Imperial Palace to hear the Emperor’s New Year message (the public is allowed inside the Palace grounds only twice a year: お正月 (New Years) and 天皇誕生日 (the Emperor’s birthday)), or go shopping (many stores have New Years sales…and 福袋 (Lucky Bag)).

(Click here to read my other recent post about お正月 (Japanese New Years), in that post I explain some of the Japanese New Year particulars…including 福袋 (Lucky Bag)).

Horoscope

Japan uses three types of horoscopes.

The Western type astrology (based on which month you were born) is taken about as seriously as it is in Western countries…not too much.

I was born in November. Scorpio. Supposedly people born under this sign are organized.

Then there’s the Chinese zodiac which Japan imported. This one is based on which year you were born. It has a twelve year cycle.

I was born in 1969…Year Of The Rooster. Supposedly people born under this sign are organized.

The Chinese zodiac is more popular in Japan than the Western zodiac…but not as popular as blood types.

Japan’s own “zodiac” is based on your blood type.

The most common blood type in Japan is Type A. People with “A” type blood are said to be dependable and organized. I have “A” type blood. I’m an “A” blood-type, Scorpio, born in the Year of The Rooster…so, I guess I’m “organized”!

I’ve heard that the most common blood type in America is Type O. They’re said to be sociable, positive, and friendly.

Type B is wild and reckless.

Type AB is rational.

Everyone in Japan knows their own blood type and Japanese people are often surprised if they learn that many people in other countries don’t know their own blood type.

If you read about a new celebrity in a Japanese magazine, they will tell their name, age, hobbies, and blood type.

Sometimes a potential employer will ask your blood type at a job interview.

It’s quite popular in Japan. Many people take it seriously and are surprised it’s not used in other countries.

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Have you ever heard of the theme restaurants in Japan?

In Japan you can have dinner in a maid cafe, Dracula’s castle, a “hospital” themed restaurant, a “Samurai” themed restaurant, Alcatraz, “Alice’s Wonderland”, etc.

A couple friends and I recently ate the Alcatraz themed restaurant! We were escorted by guards to a “cell”, where we had dinner. Every once in a while, there would be a “prison break”!

It was fun.

I’m sure these types of theme restaurants are an “only in Japan” type of experience!

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Anyways, here’s a few pictures that I’ve taken around Tokyo last Spring (and hadn’t bothered to post them online til now!):