1. Holidays in February 日本の二月の祝日

2. 二月の祝日 February 3: 節分 Setsubun February 11: 建国記念の日 National Foundation Day February 14: バレンテインデー Valentine’s Day February 18: 中国の新年 Chinese New Year ( 日本の正月 - January 1)

3. 節分 - Setsubun Marks the beginning of Spring まめまき – “throwing of beans” Celebrations at temples and shrines

4. 節分の習慣 「鬼は外！福は内！」 - “Demons out! Luck In!” At temple/shrine celebrations, celebrities and priests throw small prizes out to the crowd. Families put up small decorations of fish heads and holly leaves on their house entrances. People also eat the same amount of soy beans as their age, plus one for bringing good luck for the year to come. People eat uncut maki-zushi while facing the yearly lucky compass direction, determined by the zodiac symbol of that year.

5. 建国の記念の日 -National Foundation Day Japanese celebrate the founding of the nation and the imperial line by its mythical first emperor, Jimmu. National Foundation Day did not become an official holiday until January 1873, when Japan switched from its lunisolar calendar to the Gregorian calendar. Originally, the holiday was named Kigensetsu ( 紀元 節 -Empire Day) Kigensetsu was abolished following World War II because of its reliance on Shinto mythology and its reinforcement of the Japanese nobility. It was re- established as National Foundation Day in 1966.

6. バレンテインデー Valentine’s Day

7. 日本でバレンテインデーの習慣 義理チョコ - Giri Chocolate – “Obligation Chocolate”, Women give to male co-workers and/or classmates. ほんめいチョコ – Honmei Chocolate, which is given to a person someone loves or has a strong relationship with. Friends, especially girls, exchange chocolate that is referred to as tomo-choko ( 友チョコ ) Men give Chocolate to women on White Day (March 14).

8. Chinese New Year - 中国の新年

9. 日本で中国の新年 – Chinese New Year’s in Japan? In ancient times, the Japanese followed the Chinese/Lunar calendar. Since 1873, the Japanese follow the Gregorian calendar and celebrate the New Year on January 1 st called Shogatsu - 正月.

10. 正月

11. 正月の習慣 お節料理 – osechi ryouri – eating of special selection of New Year’s Dishes 年賀状 – nengajou – sending of New Year’s cards (usually with the animal of the year) to friends and family お年玉 – otoshidama –giving pocket money to children もち – making of sweet rice cakes Poetry – usually about the firsts of the year Games – hanetsuki(badminton), takoage (kite flying), koma (top), sugoroku(board game), fukuwarai (A blindfold person places paper parts of a face on a paper face, karuta(card game), Firsts of the Year – 1 st sunrise, 1 st dream, 1 st visit to a shrine or temple, etc.