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January in Japan

By on January 22, 2015

While December 31st’s traditional bell ringing ritual (joyanokane) is believed
to detox man of his 108 worldly desires, January is the opposite.

January is the payday of Japanese children. It’s the time of the year when every child in town young or old receives cash gifts from relatives and close friends known as otoshidama. Otoshidamas are traditionally handed to a child wrapped in a special good luck envelope. If you are a foreigner in Japan and confused whether you should give one, ….”when in Rome, ….”

FUN facts
• The otoshidama tradition is 410 years old. • Average otoshidama ranges between
3,000 and10,000 yen per child.
• It is a customary tradition in Japan to give a minimum amount based on the age of the child. (Elementary grade school age children get 3,000 yen, middle school and high school age 5,000 yen, and college student 10,000 yen).
• There is no restriction in the amount.                                                                                                                   • Otoshidamas are given any day in January.

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