お正月 Japanese New Year

2025 is what animal zodiac?

• Year of the Horse

• Year of the Dragon

• Year of the Rabbit

• Year of the Snake

A '忘年会 bounenkai' party is for....

• celebrating the New Year

• enjoying the success of the past year

• forgetting the troubles of the last year

• wishing health and happiness for everyone

A '門松 kadomastu' is...

• traditional Japanese decoration at New Year

• a decoration that welcomes ancestral spirits

• an ornament made from pine, bamboo and plum trees

• All of the above

'おせちosechi' is food eaten at New Year. Which of the following sentences are true. (choose two)

• Comes from the tradition of women not cooking at New Year

• eaten only by adults

• are made sour, sweet or dried to keep without refrigeration

• is popular only in northern Japan

What noodle is eaten on 大晦日/おおみそかNew Year's Eve?

• tonkotsu ramen

• sanuki udon

• toshikoshi soba

• nagashi somen

'Kohaku uta gassen' is a song battle on New Year's Eve between teams of which two colors?

• Red and Black

• Black and White

• Red and White

• Red/Black vs White/Black

'お年玉 Otoshidama are .....

• decorated envelopes

• gifts for children given on New Year's Day

• Monetary gifts to be given to (mostly) children on New Year's Day

• are monetary gifts on any occasions

What is 'mochi'?

• rice porridge

• rice cake

• rice dessert

• rice crackers

On New Year's Eve お寺 (てら/the Buddhist temple)'s bell is rung 107 times before midnight and how many times after midnight?

• once

• twice

• three times

• four times

"初詣 (hatsumode)" is a Japanese New Year tradition of...(choose two)

• first visit to the Shinto shrine of the year

• making prayers for the coming year

• a day to dress in kimonos

• a time to eat special food