New Year's Eve, decorate shimekazari

December 31, 2005

I guess most Japanese people have already finished preparing to celebrate the new year.

I decorated the gate of my house with shimekazari, decorated rope of rice straw, for the new year today. It's said in Japan that shimekazaris are decorated to ward off evil spirits. They are made of shimenawa, rope of rice straw, used to indicate the sacred places where Shinto gods appear. A shimekazari is a special shimenawa decorated with oranges, ferns, and etc.
We can easily imagine old Japanese people used to have strong relationship to rice.

Excuse me, but I'm not sure my explanation about shimekazari and shimenawa is correct, and my English likewise of course. :-p

Have a nice new year !