What is Otoshidama?

Otoshidama is a custom in Japan that represents part of their New Year’s celebration. This is where the children are given gifts of money from their parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and any other adults in their lives. This money is given in special envelopes, often printed with elaborate traditional or cartoonish designs. Some of the […]


Happy New Year!

The New Year is once again upon us, which is always a big occasion for the Japanese. In Japan, New Year’s Day is a national holiday and the single most important day of the year. For the first two weeks of the year, people share prayers, give gifts of money to their children, gather for […]