One of the Japanese New Year traditions that I've grown to love since following expat blogs, and of course since playing Shenmue some 10 years ago, is the first trip to the shrine. It is part of the national identity of Japan and the Shinto religion. It's a highly formal part of the New Year over there. For women it is one of the days of the year that provides an opportunity to wear the kimono. Hatsumode is both religious but also cultural. Whether the Japanese are devout (which, I gather, is hard to find) or not they still attend this event. I guess crazy long lines are also part of the tradition, or maybe that's only if you try and go to the major shrines.
The only direct contact I've had with this event was in video games. In fact that's where I first found out about Hatsumode. Shenmue (if you fart around long enough) and Persona 4 in particular. Both of those games tried very hard to replicate the regular life in Japan. School, friends, chores, fighting gangsters, demons and gods. Y'know, everyday stuff.
Hatsumode is only part of the New Year festivities in Japan. I don't really know that much more than what Wikipedia can tell me on the subject. Like I said before I don't live in Japan and I'm not a student of their culture. I may look into the entire festival culture of Japan one day, if I ever find myself living in that country. Hey you never know what could happen. I'll never rule out going there y'know.
It's not something that I would have any first hand knowledge about, being that I don't live in Japan nor is there a large Japanese community nearby. The internet is a wonderful tool when it comes to these sorts of situations. You discover and learn about anything in the world. Hatsumode is a tradition in a foreign culture that I find fascinating and through other people's experience I have learned what it is and what it means.
Here's some links to blogs by foreigners living in Japan and their posts for New Years 2010. They don't all deal with hatsumode, but they do follow the common New Year theme. These are some of my favorite bloggers so I highly advise you to check out these links.
DannyChoo
Michael John Grist
Tokyo Kawaii
Tokyo Times
HaikuGirl
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