My first visit to downtown Kyoto in the year of the dragon revealed an array of New Year decorations. A previous entry discussed Japan’s New Year (see here), but today led me to investigate the symbolism further. It’s amazing what is going on in these simple displays: no wonder Derrida called Japan an Empire of Signs!!
Kyoto style with rice rope, white shide paper strips, daidai orange, rice grains and urajiro fern, complemented by a red mizuhiki string (red and white being congratulatory colours). The rice rope is to protect the building and is said to be a reference to the Rock Cave myth when Amaterasu was prevented from reentering by a rope stretched across the entrance.
This display says 'Shomon' meaning Laughing Gate, the idea being that if you smile or laugh (both are warau), then happiness will enter into your house.
Car decoration, with rice rope, daidai orange, yuzuriha leaves and urajiro fern leaves. The yuzuriha new leaves push out the old ones, symbolising the passing to a new stage of life. Urajiro leaves are white on the back, and the fern symbolises conjugal life because the fronds form in pairs from the stem.
Kanto style with with fan spread out to show the future, urajiro conjugal fern leaves, a couple of rice cakes and an intricate mizuhiki knot in the style of a lobster (for long life).
This Kadomatsu decoration says Geishun (Welcome Spring), a little early you might think in the midst of January snows but in the old lunar calendar, when the Japanese New Year coincided with the Chinese instead of the Western calendar, it made good sense.
Kadomatsu in traditional style. Bamboo (for perseverance), pine (longevity), and plum (for the coming spring) with nanten red berries (bad things will turn to good) and habotan cabbages (for luck).
Artistic contemporary style using traditional materials, with a splash of gold and silver for the congratulatory effect
Thank you for the charming pictures. One of the things that I love about Kyoto are the bits of beauty that are scattered everywhere. It’s as if the city were visited by elves each night.
Jim M.
Milwaukee, WI, USA