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114
Japanese New Year
In ancient times, the J apane s e Ne w Ye ar ( shōgatsu) followed the same lunis olar
calendar as Chinese or Korean New Year (at the beginning of spring). Today, January 1st is
fixed as New Year's Day for Japan. It is one of the most important festivals of the whole
year. New Year's Day is a traditional festival which has been celebrated for centuries and
has its own unique customs.
Te xt 3 . Ne w Ye ar
The Ne w Ye ar is an event that happens when a culture celebrates the end of one year
and the beginning of the next. Cultures that measure yearly calendars all have Ne w Ye ar
celebrations.
The most common modern celebrations are:
• January 1 : Western cultures that start a year with January.
In the United States, cultural images include an old Father Time with a sash proclaiming
the Old Year leaving as an infant with a sash proclaiming the New Year enters.
In New York City, the world famous 1,070-pound, 6-foot-diameter Waterford crystal ball
located high above Times Square is lowered starting at 11:59 PM and reaches the bottom of
its tower at the stroke of midnight on January 1. It is sometimes referred to as "the big
apple" like the city itself; the custom derives from the time signal that used to be given at
noon in harbors.
In Pasadena, California, the Tournament of Roses is held on New Year's Day with nearly
a million revelers viewing the parade from the streets, with millions more around the world
watching on television, followed by the Rose Bowl.
In Scotland, there are many special customs associated with the New Year. For more
information, see the entry on Hogmanay, the Scots' name for the New Year celebration.
In The Netherlands and some other European countries, the New Year is greeted with
massive private fireworks. The custom may have been imported by Chinese immigrants in
the early 20th century. However, fireworks have long been part of the European celebration
of major events, so this may not be so. This day is also the occasion to make bonfires of
discarded Christmas trees in some countries.
• Ros h Hashanah (Hebrew for 'head of the year') is a celebration that occurs 163 days
following Pesach (Passover). In the Gregorian calendar at present, Rosh Hashanah cannot

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