Welcome to the Year of the Tiger, and getting stuck in the Ｕターンラッシュ
あけましておめでとうございます AKEMASHITE O-MEDETOU GOZAIMASU (Happy New Year)
年末年始はどうでしたか NENMATSU NENSHI WA DOU DESHITA KA (How was the end of year holiday?)
年末年始 NENMATSU NENSHI means literally the end and the beginning of the year, and it’s a useful expression to cover the end of year holiday period.
In Japan, New year is celebrated much more than Christmas which isn’t even a public holiday.
In the first 3 days of January, many people visit their local temple or shrines to give thanks and pray for a trouble-free year. This custom is called: 初詣 HATSUMOUDE
During HATSUMOUDE , many people purchase an おみくじ OMIKUJI (fortune slip).
大吉 DAIKICHI (great fortune) is the best slip to pull out, the scary looking character 凶 KYOU (misfortune) is one of the worst.
One Brighton Japan Club member told me he does HATSUMOUDE every year and he keeps buying おみくじ until he gets the DAIKICHI great fortune slip. That’s a great business model.
2022 is 寅年 TORADOSHI (the year of the Tiger) according to the 12 year cycle of zodiacal animals, known in Japanese as 干支 えと ETO.
TORA means tiger, and TORA-SAN, literally Mr Tiger is the Chairman of Shimaguni School. Let’s hope that’s a sign of good fortune.
Yesterday, I came back to Brighton by train after a very enjoyable 10 break in Devon.
The train carriage was empty compared to a Japanese long distance train at this time of year.
In Japan, January 3rd is theピーク PIIKU (peak) of the Ｕターンラッシュ。 YUUTAAN RASSHU (the U-turn rush).
The Ｕターンラッシュ is the last day of a long holiday when roads and rail networks fill with returning holidaymakers.
Interestingly, the Ｕ in Ｕターン is normally written in romaji although it can be written in katakana as ユー.
In both English and Japanese, a U-turn is only a U-turn if there is a U in it.
I think that makes sense. Perhaps, I’ll leave it there for this week.
Best wishes for 2022
今年も よろしくお願いします。 KOTOSHI MO YOROSHIKU O-NEGAI SHIMASU (I hope for your continued goodwill this year)