Welcoming the New Year's deity
Welcoming the New Year's deity
Between prayer and daily life
As the end of the year approaches, the atmosphere seems to change a little.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, there is a sense of quiet somewhere.
It's like an invisible "customer" is watching you from afar.
The customer's name is "Toshigami-sama (New Year God)."
Who is the New Year's God?
Toshigamisama is a god believed to come down from the mountains during the New Year.
A being that bestows "life" and "fortune" for the year.
He is the god of agriculture and the spirit of ancestors.
It is also the embodiment of hope, heralding the beginning of a new year.
In the past, people would perform the following rituals to welcome the New Year deity:
The house was purified, kadomatsu decorations were erected, sacred ropes were strung up, and kagami mochi offerings were made.
All of these are "arrangements" to allow the gods to visit and stay in peace.
In other words, New Year's is not just a celebration,
It was a time to welcome God.
Prepare the way for God
As the end of the year approaches, the WABISUKE space also gradually changes its appearance.
Replace the fabric, polish the lamps, and organize the tools.
It is an act of gently opening the way for the New Year deity to pass through.
The kadomatsu is a landmark to help the gods find their way without getting lost.
Shimenawa is a barrier that separates the sacred space from the secular world.
Kagami mochi is a place where gods reside.
These ornaments are not just for decoration.
Each one has a meaning and a prayer.
For example, the round shape of Kagami mochi represents harmony and prosperity.
The orange placed on top represents the wish that the family line will continue for generations.
To welcome the New Year deity,
It is also a celebration of the interconnectedness of life.
With the memory of our ancestors
In some regions, Toshigamisama has been believed to be the spirits of ancestors who return in a different form.
In other words, welcoming the New Year deity means
It was also about reuniting with people who had died.
Therefore, during the New Year, Buddhist altars and Shinto altars are purified,
The custom of the whole family joining hands together in silence remains.
The WABISUKE building also has
There are still traces of the people who once lived here.
The knots in the pillars, the creaking of the floor, the light through the shoji screen.
They reside in the space like memories.
When the New Year deity visits,
Those memories may also be gently awakened.
Between purification and welcoming
New Year's Eve is a day of purification.
New Year is a day of welcoming.
Between these two times,
We are standing.
Brush off the soot, prepare your tools, and clear your mind.
It is gratitude for the days that have passed,
It is also a prayer for the days to come.
Toshigamisama is a being who brings omens of the future.
To welcome that god is
It may mean "welcoming hope."
WABISUKE's New Year preparations
Here too, preparations to welcome the New Year deity have begun.
Smooth out the wrinkles in the fabric,
Polishing the lampshade,
I take out a dish that had been sleeping in the back of the shelf.
It's preparation for someone,
It's also a time to get your mind in order.
Although Toshigamisama is invisible,
There are certainly signs of that.
That is why today,
I will quietly and carefully organize my life.
Closing remarks
The New Year God is
It's slowly coming towards us from the other side of the mountain.
Listening carefully to the sound of footsteps,
We light the lights, arrange the space,
We are preparing to say "Welcome."
Please, to everyone,
May the gentle breeze and warm light reach you.
And the new year,
May it begin quietly and gently.
WABISUKE