The winter solstice is called Toji in Japanese. Toji was December 21st this year (2020).
Toji is the shortest day and the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Following Toji, the days will start becoming longer and the nights shorter.
Since the Toji is the day when yin reaches its peak and it will begin to transform into yang (yang comes again), it is also called “Ichiyo raifuku”(literally meaning the sun comes again). Thus, “Ichiyo raifuku” means “the winter is gone and the spring has come.” “The new year will come soon.” or “things turn for the better after bad things continue”.
Amongst many cultures, the winter solstice was regarded as the rebirth of the sun, and as such was celebrated. Even now, many traditional customs remain.
Some traditional Japanese customs that are often still observed are:
1. Eating azuki-gayu (rice porridge cooked with red azuki beans) to drive away evils. (Note: It is regarded that red color has an effect to drive away evils in Japan.)
2. Eating squash, peppers, Tofu, or a butterbur shoot to enhance life force.
3. Taking yuzu-yu (yuzu-bath), which is taking a bath in which yuzu (small citrus fruits) float, while praying for good health. It is said that if you take yuzu-yu on Toji, you will not catch a cold for a whole year.
4. Visiting a shrine or temple to pray for good luck and health over the year, since Toji is often considered New Year’s Day.
Nowadays, #1 and #2 are often combined into a special treat of stewed squash in anko which is a sweet paste made from red azuki beans.
I visit Iseyama Kotai Jingu shrine in Yokohama city in Kanagawa prefecture on the Toji day every year and see the sunrise and pray for good luck and health.
Photos of the shrine in this blog are when I visited this year.
Note: #1-3 are cited from HP of Heiwado pharmacy (http://www.kampo-heiwado.com/main.html).
日本では今年の冬至は１２月２１日でした。
冬至は北半球では1年のうちで一番日が短く夜が長い日です。翌日からまた日が長くなり、夜が短くなっていきます。
陰が極まり再び陽に転じる（陽が来る）日なので、日本では冬至のことを、「一陽来復」とも言います。冬が去り春が来ること。新年が来ること。悪いことが続いた後に幸運が開けること。を意味します。
多くの文化において、冬至は太陽が再生する日と考えられ、祝祭が行われ、現在でも多くの伝統的な風習が残っています。
日本で今も見られるのは、
1. 邪気を祓うために赤小豆粥を食べます。（赤は邪気を祓う効果があると言われています。）
2. 生命力強化を図るために、「とうじ」の「と」の字のつく、唐茄子(かぼちゃ)、唐辛子、豆腐、ふきのとうなどを食べます。
3. 冬至と湯治の語呂を合わせて、柚子湯に入り無病息災を祈ります。この日ゆず湯に入れば1年間風邪をひかないとされました。
4. 冬至を新しい年の始まりと捉え、神社やお寺でこれから１年の幸運や無病息災をお祈りします。
注）現代では1と２をあわせて、かぼちゃと小豆餡を煮たお料理も一般的です。
私は毎年冬至に神奈川県横浜市にある伊勢山皇大神宮の日の出を参拝します。ブログ中の神社の写真は今年参拝したものです。
＊１－３については、漢方平和堂薬局さんのホームページのコラムより引用させて頂きました。http://www.kampo-heiwado.com/main.html
Aki. S.
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