Neatsville: Ringing in the New Year in Japan

日本の正月＿姫路

New Year's is probably Japan's biggest and most celebrated holiday of the year. Shougatsu is the month when everyone loads up on food and I am one that cannot disrespect that tradition. Every time I go to Japan, there are two things I always look forward to: drinking in public (because it's legal) and shelling out all my yen for delicious food. There's a huge misconception that people think that Japan is "expensive". Let me speculate on that. First of all, you gotta consider how much your money is worth in Japan by checking up on the money exchange rate. Currently, the dollar is pretty even with yen with a few cents over. So the prices you see is pretty much what you're gonna get just subtract the zeros from the yen price accordingly ( $1.00 = 104.4円 ).

Next thing to think about is what exactly do you want to spend your money on. Are you a traveler who appreciates the sights and the culture? Or are you an avid shopper who finds treasures in shopping malls and such? OR...are you a food connoisseur always following wherever your nose and stomach take you? If you're a mix of everything, I suggest you find a balance and spend frugally on items you can order online and spend money on good times and good food, something you can't find back home.

Get cultured. It's priceless. Just because I place doesn't have a sign or a sign you can't read, doesn't mean it's not worth trying, I've gotten away with just pointing at things. It's always fascinating to find which dish a city or region is known for. Finding it may be difficult but with a little research before hand can help give purpose for your travel.

Bottom line, Japan is NOT expensive, it CAN be but that depends on your purpose and money exchange rate at the time. Believe me, Japan was expensive in 2011 when the US dollar was worth less than 77 yen. I was constantly missing a quarter of my worth and I barely went out to eat, I stuck to convenience store food (which is actually pretty darn good) and always rode a bike. Food is cheap if you know where to look and know where the cheap food alternatives can be found but generally a reasonable price all around.

I've always looked forward to spending one of Japan's biggest holidays with family and this new year has been such a huge experience being totally submerged in their culture's festivities. Their New Year's is celebrated throughout a course of at least 3 days spent visiting temples and shrines paying respects and praying for good fortune. As you can tell by the massive crowds in the streets surrounding the entrance of temples and shrines, it's a big deal. Himeji isn't one of the metropolises like Tokyo or Kobe but it's well known for having the most beautiful castle (which is currently under re-construction for the next few years). Going to the shrine made me realize how many people live or visit Himeji based on it's strong cultural history.

Upon entering, after scuffing down two sticks of Kobe beef and downing two cans of Strong Zero (Japan's cocktail in a can), I threw in some yen in the patron box, rang the "bells" and prayed for good fortune and to stay blessed for the new year.

You can never enough good fortune, so I tried my luck at getting some more. The result? Let's just say there some things I need to be cautious about. Fortune is never certain nor is it accurate when you want it to be.