十二支 Twelve signs of the oriental zodiac
The Japanese zodiac is based on a 12-year cycle.
干支は12年周期となっています
Each year has a symbolic animal.
それぞれの年に、動物の名前がついています
In order, the 12 animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster/Chicken, Dog, Boar.
順番に、子、丑、寅、卯、辰、巳、午、未、申、酉、戌、亥となります
2021 is the year of 丑(Ushi) or the Ox.
2021年は丑年です
Check your animal signs.
あなたの干支もチェックしてみてください！
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Origin of Japanese New Year's Gift so called “Otoshidama”
お年玉の起源
In Japan, we decorate Kagamimochi rice cakes over New Year to welcome our Shinto gods.
新年には鏡餅を飾って、お正月には神様を迎えます
Japanese people used to believe that the Shinto god Toshigami dwells inside Kagamimochi.
鏡餅には年神様（としがみさま）が宿ると信じられていました
For these reasons, Kagamimochi were also called Toshidama, which means "the spirit of Toshigami".
このため鏡餅は別名「年魂（としだま）」（年神様の魂）と呼ばれていました
With a wish of good health for their families, Japanese people crush Kagamimochi into pieces before eating them.
その年の1年の家族の健康を祈って、鏡餅はお正月の終わりに割って家族で食べます
Although Japanese people still retain this custom, over the course of many years we also developed new traditions,
including giving gifts of money to children.
この風習は今でも残っていますが、長い歴史の中で「子どもにお年玉」という現金をあげる風習が生まれました
In Japanese households, it was usually the father who crushed and gave
away the Kagamimochi,
and from that developed the tradition that elders looks after youngsters.
This is the background of Otoshidama.
鏡餅を分け与えていたのが父親で、それがいつしか目下の人にあげるもの、として「お年玉」の文化に受け継がれています
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