New year in Japan

When you walk around in Japan at the end of the year and the beginning of the new year, you surely find some New Year ornaments on the streets, such as Sime-Kazari hung on the front door and Kado-matu put on the ground by the front door.

The shape and materials of these ornamants are different by the regions in Japan. It is fun to walk around looking for different kinds of ornaments and to know the meaning of them.

The signigicance of the ornaments are slightly different by different shapes and materials.
However, there is a common wish of all. That is "Happiness". Although it may be fun to have a party with fire works on new year day, it also makes you feel good to have a peacefully solemn start of New Year in Japan.