Shogatsu Kotohajime / Susuharai (Start of New Year Preparations / Soot Sweeping Day)
Seasonal EventsWhat Are Shogatsu Kotohajime and Susuharai?
December 13th is the day of "Shogatsu Kotohajime" (literally "the start of New Year preparations") and "Susuharai" (soot sweeping) in Japan. Since ancient times, this date has marked the beginning of preparations for welcoming the new year. It is considered "Kishukunichi"—an auspicious day on which demons are said to be away from the home—and December 13th became firmly established as "Kotohajime" during the Edo period (1603-1868).
What Is Susuharai?
Susuharai is a thorough house-cleaning ritual in which a year's worth of grime and soot is swept away to purify the home in preparation for welcoming "Toshigami-sama," the deity of the new year. In the past, people used a "susuharai-bo" (a bundle of straw tied to a bamboo pole) to brush soot off the kitchen hearth, ceilings, and walls, cleaning the entire house. This is considered the origin of the modern "osoji" (year-end deep clean).
What People Do During Shogatsu Kotohajime
- Gathering Materials for New Year Decorations (Kadomatsu): Heading into the mountains to cut pine branches, a custom known as "matsumukae."
- Preparing Kagami Mochi: Round New Year rice cakes are traditionally displayed by December 28th for good luck (the 29th is avoided, as the number 9 can sound like the word for "suffering").
- Preparing New Year's Cards (Nengajo): This date marks the traditional cue to begin writing New Year greeting cards.
- Beginning the Year-End Deep Clean: Cleaning the entire house before the year ends, in preparation for the new year.
Tips for Year-End Deep Cleaning
- Divide the work by room or area, tackling one section per day.
- Sort items into "things you use" and "things you don't," and dispose of unneeded items before the year ends.
- For greasy spots like range hoods, bathrooms, and refrigerators, baking soda and citric acid work wonders.
- Clean windows on a cloudy day—on a sunny day, direct sunlight can dry cleaning solution too quickly, leaving streaks.