Japanese New Year!

Shōgatsu san-ga-nichi - Japanese New Year. It is not only a fun time and meetings with family, but also a chance to shut down old cases, start a new life and provide luck in the future.
Preparations for New Year celebrations begin with susu-Harai - housecleaning. Throwing away old things, cleaning the house, getting rid of everytghing what is unnecessary.

Traditionally, the first day, the children gets gifts, or in-toshidama. These are usually money. In that day should mandatory visit the temples.
The second day of the celebration of the New Year is associated with many traditions and customs:
Hatsu-Yume - first dream, prosperity provides the dream of the top of Fuji and herb eggplant
kaki-zome - the first in new year calligraphy

The most important are also fun and games:
hane-tsuki - a kind of Japanese badminton
tako-age - fly kites;
Karuta - card game
Sugoroku - board game brought to Japan from China