"Iwaibashi" for God

Ozouni and Iwaibashi

 Japanese loves New Year, of course, it includes New Year events. Even the TV program, they broadcast special TV program all the day until a week later.

 In Japanese, New Year is "shin nen" (shin means new, nen means year). We clean all over the house, change all life articles around us (toothbrush, cloth, stationary, ...everything) as a ceremony before New Year's Eve. So New Year's life is filled with a lot of new things which contains wishes for New Year. After that, we greet the New Year with the "Osechi ryouri" (special dishes for New Year).

"Osechi ryouri"of ordinary homes (my mam made)

 The morning of New Year, we eat "Ozouni" (In Kyoto, it's white type Miso soup which contains rice cakes and vegetables) as the first eat before eating "Osechi ryouri". Then, we use "Iwaibashi" (chopstick for celebrating) . 

 This chopstick is different with normal type chopstick at the point of its shape. The normal type chopstick's shape is only the one side pointed, but "Iwaibashi"'s shape is both side pointed. Physically, the pointed part of chopstick is for eating action. Conversely normal type chopstick is for one man use. By the way, What for the other side pointed part of "Iwaibashi" ? It is said that the other side of pointed part of "Iwaibashi" is for God (Japanese God). It's called "shin jin kyou syoku" (share dishes with God).

 This custom describe that Japanese who is a buddist has consciousness of worship to God, and want to celebrate the New Year with God.

 This is the beginning of my New Year.