The beginning of the new year is celebrated by all peoples of the world. Not all nationalities and nationalities have the same countdown dates, but despite this, we all equally rejoice at this holiday every time. What are the traditions of celebrating the New Year in Japan and is there a Japanese Santa Claus?
The East is a delicate matter
Never try to tell a Japanese about the chimes in New Year's Eve. The thing is that in the Country rising sun The arrival of the New Year is marked by 108 rings of the bell. However, there is something in common between our cultures - the holiday is celebrated on the night of December 31st to January 1st. It is believed that a person's existence is complicated by 108 harmful passions, and the New Year's bell drives away one of these vices with each blow, foreshadowing a good year.
Preparations for the holiday in Japan necessarily include the installation of Kadomatsu - a special gate made of bamboo and pine branches in front of the house. It is believed that the Japanese Santa Claus passes through them. Rich families also install blooming peach, plum or pine trees in front of their houses.
Segatsu-san - "Mr. January"
There is also a special New Year's wizard in Japan. Japanese Santa Claus Segatsu-san is radically different from his Russian counterpart. Literally, the name of this elder can be translated into Russian as “Mr. January.” Residents of the Land of the Rising Sun wait a whole week for Segatsu-san to come to their house and congratulate them on the holiday. What’s interesting is that the New Year’s wizard does not give gifts to either children or adults. Representatives of the younger generation know from infancy that they can only count on gifts from their parents. The time when “Mr. January” congratulates the Japanese on holidays is called “golden week.”
The Japanese Santa Claus also wears a costume that is quite original and atypical for a New Year's wizard. The elder is dressed in a green festive kimono and a traditional headdress. But the thick white beard with a mustache, going down almost to the floor, gives Segatsu-san a significant resemblance to his Russian brother.
Two Santa Clauses from the same country?
While Japanese fashion, technology and art are conquering the world, residents of the Land of the Rising Sun are interested in European and American traditions that are unusual for them. Not long ago, a second New Year's wizard appeared in Japan. His name is Oji-san. And if Segatsu-san is the Japanese Santa Claus, then the newcomer is rather the eastern equivalent of Santa Claus. Why did the residents of the Land of the Rising Sun need a second Santa Claus? It's simple: Oji-san, like many other New Year's wizards, brings gifts to children who have behaved well throughout the year. It is not surprising that many kids look forward to it for their holiday. It is worth noting that the new Japanese Father Frost is even visually very similar to Santa Claus.
Changing the traditions of celebrating the beginning of the year is not very popular among the older generation. If children stop believing in Segatsu-san, an important element of folk culture and folklore in its original and original sense will be lost.
In Russia - Father Frost, in France - Pere Noel, in Japan - Segatsu-san. Santa Clauses - they are all different: one is kind, and the other can scold. Everyone has their own personal way of getting into a holiday home, and besides, they all look different. A wonderful selection of relatives of our Santa Claus from all over the world.
Russia - Father Frost, Father Treskun, Morozko and Karachun rolled into one. He looks a little stern. He wears a fur coat down to the ground and a high hat, and in his hands he holds an ice staff and a bag of gifts. Here he is ours. so dear, Grandfather Frost himself. 
"Santa Christian" from Burundi. Among African Catholics, Santa Claus lives on Mount Kilimanjaro, because... This is the only mountain in Africa that constantly has snow on its top. 
This is what Santa Claus looks like in Hawaii. 
In Australia it's Sylvester. Australian Santa Claus is the same, only in swimming trunks and on a scooter (you know, it’s hot on the first of January in the country of kangaroos 
Dutch Sinderkalas wears a caftan and white boots. Just before the New Year, he sails to Amsterdam by ship, but does not give out gifts himself. For this he has a retinue - Moors in lush turbans. 
Belarusian Dzed Maroz. 
Babbo Natale. Looks like our Santa Claus. This beloved Italian character traces its historical roots back to Saint Nicholas. Babbo Natale lived for a long time at the North Pole, and later acquired an excellent home in the Finnish north - in Lapland. In addition to him, the good fairy Befana (La Befana) comes to obedient children and gives gifts. The naughty ones get a coal from the evil sorceress Befana. 
Pere Noel, Grandfather January. Winter folklore new year character straight from France. According to tradition, Père Noel, arriving at the house on a donkey wearing wooden shoes and carrying a basket of gifts, enters the house through the chimney, placing gifts in shoes left in front of the fireplace. The French "Father January" walks with a staff and wears a wide-brimmed hat. 
Sintaklaas, or Sinterklaas - Nicholas the Wonderworker, in the Netherlands, Belgium and Poland. Children and adults also celebrate St. Nicholas Day on December 5, although national holiday it doesn't count. As the legend goes, he left golden apples in a shoe in front of the fireplace for the family who sheltered him. It was a very long time ago, so St. Nicholas is considered the very first Santa Claus. He rides a horse, wearing a miter and a white bishop's robe. He is always accompanied by his Moorish servant Black Peter, who carries a bag of gifts behind his back for obedient children, and in his hands - rods for naughty people. 
Daidi na Nollaig is the Irish counterpart of Father Christmas. Ireland is a religious country and values its old good traditions. That's why New Year in Ireland will be imbued with mysticism and unusualness. 
In Cyprus and Greece, Father Frost is even called Vasily. 
USA - Santa Claus. The American grandfather wears a cap and a red jacket, smokes a pipe, travels through the air on reindeer and enters the house through a pipe. Santa Claus is the most famous partner of Father Frost. Gray hair, neat beard and mustache. A dark leather belt fits his thick belly. Essentially this is a life-loving elf. Most often he has glasses on his nose, and a smoking pipe in his mouth (in recent years tries not to “press” on this element of the image). 
Sweden - Krise Kringle, Yulnissan, Yul Tomten (Yolotomten), There are two Santa Clauses in Sweden: the stooped grandfather with a knobby nose Yultomten and the dwarf Yulnissaar. Both of them go from house to house on New Year’s Eve and leave gifts on the windowsills. 
Many peoples of Russia have a similar character: among the Karelians his name is Pakkaine (Frost), and he is young. 
Mongolia - Uvlin Uvgun, Yamal Iri. accompanied by Zazan Okhin (Snow Maiden) and Shina Zhila ( boy-New Year). New Year in Mongolia coincides with the cattle breeding holiday, so Santa Claus wears the clothes of a cattle breeder. In Mongolia, Santa Claus looks like a shepherd. He is dressed in a shaggy fur coat and a large fox hat. On his side is a snuffbox, flint and steel, and in his hands is a long whip. 
Ehee Dyl or Chiskhan - Yakut Father Frost. 
This New Year's character apparently "settled in" better than others New Year's colleagues. Judge for yourself: his wife Kykhyn Khotun is in charge winter time; three daughters Saaschaana, Sayyina and Kuhyney distribute spring, summer and autumn responsibilities among themselves. What Ehee Dyl himself does is not entirely clear. 
In China, Santa Claus's name is simple and uncomplicated: Dong Che Lao Ren or Shan Dan Laozhen. Despite the exotic name, the Chinese grandfather’s habits are not at all different from the famous Santa Claus. 
Jollopukki lives in Finland. He has a wife, Maria. Yollopukki wears a long sheepskin coat and announces his appearance with a bell. Joulupukki, this name was not given to him in vain: “Joulu” means Christmas, and “pukki” means goat. Many years ago, Santa Claus wore a goat skin and delivered gifts on a goat. In the photo Jollopukki is on the right with his Hungarian colleague. 
Santas of the world. Norway – Nisse (little brownies). ...Even though Nisse is a caring protector of the home, he is very vindictive. isse - a creature from Scandinavian folklore, daimon (genius), brownie. In Norway, the Nisse are distinguished: House Nisse Christmas Nisse Church Nisse Ship Nisse Forest Nisse House Nisse are called that only in the south and east of Norway. 
Japanese Santa Claus Oji-san. In Japan, the New Year is heralded by 108 rings of the bell. Most Popular New Year's gift- Kumade - a rake made of bamboo, so that you have something to rake in happiness. Houses are decorated with pine branches, pine is a symbol of longevity. In Japan (more recently), two Santa Clauses compete - Segatsu-san and newcomer Oji-san (a modified version of the American Santa Claus). Unlike young Oji, the traditional Segatsu-san has to go home for a whole week, which the Japanese call “golden”. Dressed in a traditional Japanese Segatsu-san in a sky blue kimono. He does not give gifts to children, but only congratulates every Japanese person on the upcoming New Year. Gifts for children are given by their parents. Segatsu-san means "Mr. New Year". 
The beginning of the new year is celebrated by all peoples of the world. Not all nationalities and nationalities have the same countdown dates, but despite this, we all equally rejoice at this holiday every time. What are they like in Japan and does Japanese Santa Claus exist?
The East is a delicate matter
Never try to tell a Japanese person about the chimes on New Year's Eve. The thing is that in the Land of the Rising Sun the onset of the New Year is marked by 108 rings of the bell. However, there is something in common between our cultures - the holiday is celebrated on the night of December 31 to January 1. It is believed that a person's existence is complicated by 108 harmful passions, and the New Year's bell drives away one of these vices with each blow, foreshadowing a good year.
Preparations for the holiday in Japan necessarily include the installation of Kadomatsu - a special gate made of bamboo and pine branches in front of the house. It is believed that the Japanese Santa Claus passes through them. Rich families also install blooming peach, plum or pine trees in front of their houses.
Segatsu-san - "Mr. January"
There is also a special New Year's wizard in Japan. Japanese Santa Claus Segatsu-san is radically different from his Russian counterpart. Literally, the name of this elder can be translated into Russian as “Mr. January.” Residents of the Land of the Rising Sun wait a whole week for Segatsu-san to come to their house and congratulate them on the holiday. What’s interesting is that the New Year’s wizard does not give gifts to either children or adults. Representatives of the younger generation know from infancy that they can only count on gifts from their parents. The time when “Mr. January” congratulates the Japanese on holidays is called “golden week.”
The Japanese Grandfather also wears something quite original and atypical for a New Year's wizard. The elder is dressed in a green festive kimono and a traditional headdress. But the thick white beard with a mustache, going down almost to the floor, gives Segatsu-san a significant resemblance to his Russian brother.
Two Santa Clauses from the same country?
While technology and art are conquering the world, residents of the Land of the Rising Sun are interested in European and American traditions that are unusual for them. Not long ago, a second New Year's wizard appeared in Japan. His name is Oji-san. And if Segatsu-san is the Japanese Santa Claus, then the newcomer is rather the eastern equivalent of Santa Claus. Why did the residents of the Land of the Rising Sun need a second Santa Claus? It's simple: Oji-san, like many other New Year's wizards, brings gifts to children who have behaved well throughout the year. It is not surprising that many kids look forward to it for their holiday. It is worth noting that the new Japanese Father Frost is even visually very similar to Santa Claus.
Changing the traditions of celebrating the beginning of the year is not very popular among the older generation. If children stop believing in Segatsu-san, an important element of folk culture and folklore in its original and original sense will be lost.
New Year is loved in Japan as much as in the rest of the world. It is not surprising that the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun have their own attributes of this holiday, including their own Santa Claus. More precisely, there are even two of them.
How did this happen? Everything is very simple, the traditional symbol of the New Year holidays is Segatsu-san, and after the penetration of Western culture into the country, its own version of Santa Claus appeared here - Oji-san. Below is more detailed information about each of them.
Translated into Russian, the name Segatsu-san means “Mr. January”. This is one of his main differences from the familiar Santa Claus. Segatsu-san congratulates the people of Japan not on the New Year, but on the so-called Golden Week.
Throughout this week, Segatsu-san goes from house to house, congratulating children and adults on the holiday and wishing them success in the coming year. But you won’t be able to receive gifts from him. This is how traditions have developed - for a long time, gifts for children in Japan were given by parents themselves, without hiding the origin of the gifts.
Segatsu-san’s appearance also deserves attention. He boasts a long white beard that almost touches the floor. At the same time, the symbol of the New Year is dressed in a green kimono and a national Japanese headdress. Thus, a foreigner who accidentally sees Segatsu-san is unlikely to realize that he is performing the function of Santa Claus.
“Mr. January” lives in his residence on the island of Honshu. Despite the appearance of Oji-san, this folklore character is not deprived of attention. Residents of the Land of the Rising Sun are distinguished by their love for their culture and every year they begin to decorate their homes a couple of weeks before the holiday. , waiting for Segatsu-san to knock on their door.
Despite the fact that Japan's first borrowings of Western culture date back to the 19th century, Oji-san appeared only in the late 90s of the last century. This was a completely logical step, because the Japanese had long ago had the opportunity to see how new year holidays celebrated in Europe and America.
Thus, Oji-san comes on the night of December 31 to January 1 and leaves gifts for the children. He looks exactly like Santa Claus, and you can even write letters to him.
Recently, people dressed as Oji-san are often seen in shopping centers, schools and other crowded places. This is a kind of nod to Western culture, because many tourists come to Japan during the Christmas holidays. They, too, are not averse to seeing someone who looks like Santa Claus, and local children are happy to communicate with the new New Year’s symbol.
All morning today I was rummaging through Wikipedia in search of Japanese Santa Claus, I wanted to see what he really looks like. Although Russian sites persistently claim that there is Santa Claus in Japan, I did not find a single mention of him or a picture on Japanese sites.
So that's what I remember.
Previously, the role of Santa Claus in Japan was played by the Buddhist god Hotei Osho - this is such a big, half-naked guy with long ears, a huge belly and an equally huge bag. I don’t know what exactly his role was, but he didn’t give gifts and children were afraid of him, so when a window to America opened in Japan, the kids fell in love with the good American Santa Claus with all their hearts. He is the one who wishes the Japanese people a Merry Christmas.
The Japanese Santa Claus is called Paradise Yamamoto. He was born in Japan on the island of Hokkaido in 1962. It was only in 1998 that he passed the exam and became the first official Santa in Asia. Last year, the First World Santa Claus Congress was held in Japan.
To whom Japanese children wrote letters for a hundred years remained a question that was not fully clarified for me, so I will not copy it from other Russian sites.
