and usages of the people, and especially in their dinners, as the defeat of the Spanish Armada does in our English Michaelmas goose. The chief dates are as follows, and it is most convenient to begin the enumeration, more Japonico, at the end:—
Dec. 13.—This day is called Koto-hajime, that is, "the be ginning of things," because such preparations for New Year as house-cleaning, decorating, and the pounding of rice for takes (mochi), are then taken in hand. People eat o koto-jiru on this day, a kind of stew whose ingredients are generally red beans, potatoes, mushrooms, sliced fish, and a root called konnyaku. Presents of money are made to servants by their masters at this time of year. Both the season in question and the presents then given are termed o seibo.
Dec. 22.—The winter solstice (tōji). Doctors then worship the Chinese Esculapius.
Jan. 1-3.—Termed the San-ga-nichi, or "three days" of New Year, when the people eat a stew called zōni. In Tōkyō this stew consists of rice-cakes, and greens boiled in fish gravy. More fuss is made about the New Year in China and Japan than in any Western country. On the last night of the old year no one goes to bed, and bells are rung, and on New Year's morning the usual sweeping and dusting of rooms is pretermitted, doubtless in order to avoid sweeping away good luck. Gateways are decorated at New Year time with pine-branches, straw ropes, oranges, and a lobster (the latter symbolising old age because of its crooked back), and presents are given called o toshi-dama.
Jan. 7.—This day is termed Nana-kusa, or the Seven Herbs, because in early times the Court and people used then to go out to pluck parsley and six other edible herbs,—a custom to which the poets make frequent allusion. Rice-gruel, or congee flavoured with greens, is the appropriate dish. (About the 9th January, the people resume their ordinary work).
Jan. 15-16.—The end of the New Year holidays. The 16th is the (Hōkō-nin no Yabu-iri), or Prentices' Holiday Home. Rice-gruel mixed with red beans is eaten.
