Article Oshogatsu (お正月) - Japanese New Year

[JREF]

The article Japanese New Year has been updated:

Added a few corrections and images.

 

[JREF]

The article Japanese New Year has been updated:

Updates and a few corrections

 

[JREF]

The article Japanese New Year has been updated:

A few corrections and a new nengajō!

 

[JREF]

The article Ōshōgatsu (お正月) - Japanese New Year has been updated:

Some corrections and updates for 2024.

 

[JREF]

The article Ōshōgatsu (お正月) - Japanese New Year has been updated:

A few edits and a new nengajo for 2025!

 

[JREF]

The article Ōshōgatsu (お正月) - Japanese New Year has been updated:

A few corrections and edits and, of course, a new nengajō for 2026, the Year of the Horse!

 

[thomas]

Otoshidama, the New Year cash gift traditionally given to children in Japan, is beginning to change as cashless payments become more common and inflation continues to push up everyday costs. For families travelling back to their hometowns over the holidays, otoshidama remains a familiar part of the season, but the way it is handed over and spent is gradually shifting. Higher prices and the spread of smartphone payments are altering a custom that was once a straightforward pleasure for children.

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At a household in Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture, two sisters excitedly talked about the otoshidama they received from their grandfather, proudly counting their gifts and calculating how much they could spend. Their parents said they typically let the children take around 5,000 yen to buy what they like, allowing them to decide for themselves how to use the money. When asked what they planned to buy, the children mentioned items such as stickers and small toys, choosing things they could only find at specific shops. For adults, seeing children smile when receiving otoshidama remains a pleasure, but among those giving the money, a sense of strain is increasingly evident. People interviewed on the street said that while it is painful to give money amid rising living costs, cutting back feels unavoidable for some. Others said that even 1,000 yen no longer buys much, highlighting how inflation has reduced the real value of otoshidama. Those with many relatives to give to said the burden grows heavier each year.

Cashless Payments Reshape Otoshidama Tradition

Otoshidama, the New Year cash gifts traditionally given to children in Japan, is undergoing a noticeable transformation as the spread of cashless payments and persistent inflation begin to affect even this long-standing custom.

newsonjapan.com