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>Are you all ready for New Years?
Employees of Digital Japan have a long holidays at this time from Dec 28
to Jan 4. People of Japan celebrate first few days of January as
"Shogatsu" or New Year's Days.
At New Year's Eve, Buddhist temples ring their bells 108 times, which
means rarefying 108 man's evil desires. People have Japanese noodles
wishing their longevity.
In Shogatsu they visit their relatives, have special dishes, eat rice
cakes, and go to shrine, even if most people don't beleive in it.
Children receive "Otoshidama" or New Year's gifts, usually a cash in a
envelop, They are traditionally expected to fly kites and spin a top,
but play with Nintendos at their home these days.
I will be in a mourning for my grandmother this coming New Year's Days,
so will not go to shrine but will eat rice cakes.
A Happy New Year to all!
- Kazunori, Digital Japan
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| > What are man's 108 evil desires?
It's a religious thing. I don't know what they exactly means but
Buddhist creed says do not stick to things. So sticking to something can
be a evil desire, although I'm not sure.
Anyway most people don't know its meaning. It's just one scenery of
Japanease New Year's Days and some temples charge some amount of money,
I've heard they are donated to charity, to who rings a bell.
- Kazunori
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