#080: San-ga-nichi (Semiweekly-pedia of Japan)

#080: San-ga-nichi (category: holiday)

The Japanese word "san" in "san-ga-nichi" is "three" in English and "nichi" is "day", respectively. And "ga" is a counter suffix. "San-ga-nichi" means the first three days of the New Year. For Japanese, January 2nd and 3rd are also the special holidays as well as the New Year's Day is.

While Japanese generally rest during these holidays, tens of millions of people visit a Shinto shrine or a Buddhist temple in their neighborhood. This custom called First Visit of the Year is not necessarily based on their religious belief. Many somehow visit there just because it is a traditional custom in this country.

(Friday, January 3rd, 2014)    See Archive