Welcome the new year like the Japanese.
OOSOUJI -- THE BIG CLEAN
The Japanese prepare for the coming year by cleaning their houses and offices from top to bottom. This is a way for them to inform Toshigami (the new year god) that their place have been purified and is ready to receive his blessings.
I am cleaning our house now. "Toshigami, I am ready for your blessings."
Sources: Wikipedia and Blue Lotus
Posts
6 years ago
15 comments:
Hmmm... I should mention OOSOUJI to my wife. She may be Japanese but our home is ending up the opposite of clean. It feels like a hurricane just hit our kitchen.
But since she's also been dishing out some outrageously yummy desserts the past few days, I guess I'll gladly do the cleaning for Toshigami-san instead. :D
Happy Holidays to you and your family, Mrs G! :)
May you be prettier, richer, healthier and happiest this coming new year!! Happy year 2009!
Happy New Year 209! Let us wish for a great year ahead.
happy new year Mrs G! and happy cleaning :)
... sounds like a good idea!
Happy New Year to you.
My mother always deep cleaned everything in the house and garage right around New Year's time, and I have continued the practice. (And I'm in Colorado, where cleaning the garage can be cold business.)
But, I didn't know there was such a good reason for doing it. Thanks for the interesting tidbit!
My wife is not Japanese, but she subscribes to the clean the house from top to bottom for New Years philosophy!
Looking forward to a great 2009! Best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!
Happy New Year! Sounds like a good idea. :)
Akemashite Omedetou. Wishing you a Very Happy New Year 2009 ;)
Not a bad idea. We just moved, so in a way, I feel like we purified our home by moving and cleaning and now it's open wide for all this year's blessings.
Happy New Year!
Davida
Well, I must be part Japanese because I'm a big house cleaner come January! I start digging through drawers, closets, book collections, etc. for things to get rid of. It's a great way to start the year--clutter free! Beats the heck out of losing weight--and easier too.
Happy 2009 :)
I went to Japan eight years ago and spent New Year's with a friend and her family and had the opportunity to help with the "oosuji". Also went to the temple at midnight, didn't bring anything with to throw onto the huge bonfire that was going but did have some warm Saki afterwards
hmmm....this reminds me na I should be cleaning our house na, it's a total mess pa rin after the yuletide celebration :)
Mrs. G! I cleaned too! I stayed up until 6am scrubbing and vacuuming. I also cleaned out under my bed, the kitchen sink and my "study table." I actually threw out a whole balikbayan box of paper. Its official, I'm a pack rat! But the real challenge is how to keep the clutter from piling up again... Tips! ;-P See you in a bit...
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