While the New Year's period is often seen as a time of recovering from the excesses of the previous week, in Japan is is an auspicious period. Business is usually shut for the first three days of January and families come together to eat New Year foods such as ozoni or visit a local shrine or temple. It's a kind of gathering of strength before the grind begins.

We were often invited to participate in traditional festivals and ceremonies. Adult students or the parents of younger students would have us over to their house for a spot of mochigome (sticky rice) bashing in a  wooden bowl (usu), to make kagami mochi. It's is quite an art form and a skill.

On another occasion a friend took us to her favourite temple in Kyoto for the traditional January 1st visit. This largely involved prayers and the lighting of incense, ritualized clapping and bowing and much camera work. Such are the ways that a sophisticated culture creates meaning in the lives of its citizens.

The West lost all claim to such sophistication when Christmas was commodified, Easter became a chocolate marathon, and NYE a time of obligatory drunkenness. 

Meaning is important. Do I have to keep saying it?