Questions explore current impact of pandemic on family traditions and how to spend most of the money on celebrations.
New Years arguably marks the time for the rest of the year on the Japanese public holidays. Workers get typically Dec 29-Jan 3 off, that marks comparatively long period of time for returning home, taking some dedicated time to hibernate, and engaging in traditional activities such as eating extravagant and expensive osechi meals (New Years foods with auspicious names) or sending New Years Day greeting postcards nengajo.
As 2023 marks third New Years holiday since spreading COVID-19, many families still haven’t fully redeemed to their pre-pandemic traditions. Japanese company Shokubunka interviewed 1,004 women in 20s to 60s over 2023 to help address the situation in New Years plans.
One traditional New Years kakizome or first calligraphy written in new year
So dive into the seven survey questions and most common answers!
Q1: What are your plans for New Year this year? (Multiple responses given)
- Not much moreslashed at home (42,9%)
- The New Year: the first Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple (29.5%)
- Grüß local relatives, family (17.4%)
- Soleil sales in first day of year (12.9%)
- First sunrise of new year (7.7 percent)
- Trekking (4.4%)
40% of survey survey takers say they plan to spend holiday lounging at home without making much. Yeah that still sounds like pretty much all for usweve. You should still get plenty of 2022 anime titles to catch up on. Shall we bluff first lounging of the year?
Second most popular response: hatsumode, first visit to shrine or temple, pray for happiness in New Year
Q2: Are you worried about going out, doing other things to change depending on COVID-19 situation?
- No (36.1%)
- Yes (32.7%)
- Im not sure (21.2%)
Whilst Japan experience eighth wave of COVID-19 cases, risks still being considered as precautions, so does need to change long-awaited plan on a dime. Lots of survey takers arent planning to go out, hopefully that will make sudden changes a bit easier to swallow.
Q3: How has the way you spend New Years changed since the outbreak of the pandemic? (Multiple responses are allowed)
- I rest at home without going out (55.6 %)
- I don’t normally do any similar customs every year (26.3%)
- Food spending is up 21.7%
- Total times that I order out for food rises (8,1%)
- Visit a shrine or temple to see more of relatives; 4,1 p.
- Anders (11.1%)
Factorously, 27.7% of survey takers report holiday food expenses up along with 8,1% who said ordering more from outside. Family-sharing of cooking costs up to three times, which could result in more time at home. Other specific responses to how plans have changed include: I dont visit my grandparents anymore, I dont gather with relatives, and I order more items online.
Modern depiction of traditional Japanese New Years activity known as gorogoro or lazy around at home with TV, books, and plenty of snacks (pajamas are encouraged; cooking is most definitely not)
Q4: Was you think would be spending most on this New Year?
- Food (59,4 %)
- Shopping (16.2%)
- Travel (7.8%)
- Leisure (4.1%)
- 9Kings Otoshidama (3,5%) (New Years money for children) 3
- Other (9,0percent)
60% of survey users say they plan to spend the most money on food over the holiday (rightfully so!. Special questions included meals for home and eating out, splurging on osechi and other foods I wouldt normally eat, and relaxing at hot springs. Perhaps its worthwhile noting that the boxed feasts known as osechi seem to fade in popularity during these days, especially among younger generations, so it will be interesting to see to see how much this kind of survey continues to appear for years to come.
Osechi New Years meal typically. Some restaurants launch offerings of one-person osechi meals recently.
Q5: How do you prepare food for the holiday? (Multiple responses available)
- My family, relatives make it (44.9%)
- I make it myself (40.1 %)
- I buy it in the neighborhood (31,6%)
- Food out (8.0%)
- Order online (14.1%)
- Other (2.4%)
About 85 percent of survey takers can still indulge in some home cooked meals over holiday – family or themselves.
Q6: What luxury food do you crave at New Years (excluding osechi and toshikoshi soba [crossing-the-year soba])? (Multiple responses are allowed)
- Sushi (47.1%)
- Crab (33.79%)
- Sukiyaki (29.9%)
- Yakiniku (19.8 p.)
- Nothing special (15.5 %)
- Shabushabu (12.3%)
Extravagant seafood proves popular, as top two picks were sushi, usually eaten on Christmas occasions in Japan, and crab. Beef-based sukiyaki, yakiniku followed as theyre both warming, hearty dishes for winter.
Premium crabs such as pictured below often costya a arm and a leg.
Q7: Have you thought you failed in new years shopping food?
- No (76.1 percent)
- Yes (23.9 %)
Fast 25% of survey respondents say they’ve had bad experience buying special food for New Years. I found osechi reputable, poorly packed and the quality of the service I received was a little bit more complicated, a bit more difficult and a lot more challenging. All of these survey takingrs should get some positive feedback the next year.
Perhaps its time for everyone, no matter where we’re in the world, to buy some snacks, drink, and browse the sites of our favorite stores for any cute New Years-themed stuff. Well let us know how were utilizing the gorogoro knowledge again.
Source: PR Times via Otakomu Image Featured: PR Times Top image: PR Times Insert pictures: PR Times, Pakutaso 1, 2, 3) Follow us on Facebook, Twitter!