Fresh Start

One thing I really miss about Japan is the New Year’s celebration (お正月 — Oshogatsu). In my family, it started with a deep cleaning a few days before the year ended. We’d decorate and prepare special foods for New Year’s Eve. At midnight, we’d eat soba noodles for longevity while listening to Buddhist temple bells ring 108 times, letting go of worldly desires (除夜の鐘 — Joya no kane). In Yokohama, where I grew up, the ships in the harbor would also sound their horns. After that, we’d watch the first sunrise of the year (初日の出) before heading to a Shinto shrine for a blessing. It’s a lot of rituals, but that’s what made the celebration feel so sacred to me.

For three days, families would gather around a special feast, visiting relatives and friends. Kids always got little pouches of money from adults, and some of them raked in quite a bit!

It’s been over 40 years since I left Japan, so I’m sure these traditions have evolved. I don’t know what they’re like now, but I know the 3-day celebration still continues today.

Even after all these years, I’ve tried to keep up with the year-end cleaning. It just feels right to welcome a new year with a clean house. As I’ve gotten older, though, it’s become a bit stressful, so I’ve adjusted my expectations. This year, 2024 was challenging, and I wanted to wash away all that negative energy and start fresh. I planned ahead, starting to purge and organize in early December. By the time the post-Christmas days came, all I had left was cleaning. Breaking the house into sections, I tackled a few rooms at a time. By New Year’s Eve, my house was cleaner than it’s been in ages!

As the new year begins, I’m skipping resolutions and setting an intention instead: to live more like Buddha suggested. I’m recognizing that my suffering often comes from clinging to or avoiding what’s happening. By walking the path of Dharma, I hope to be less affected by things I can’t control. Thank God Buddha figured that out over 2,500 years ago! Here’s to a fresh start.