正月事始め「おたのもうします」December in Kyoto: the beginning date of New Year preparations
十二月の京都
12月13日はお正月を迎える準備にとりかかる「正月事始め」の日です。京都祇園の花街では芸妓や舞妓さんがお師匠さんに「おめでとうさんどす よろしゅうおたのもうします」と一足早く新年のあいさつをし、お鏡さんをお供えし舞扇をいただくという年末恒例のならわしです。
うちも寒さに負けずに窓ガラスでもきれいにしよか。
December in Kyoto 2023
December 13th is the beginning date of New Year preparations, known as 'Shogatsu Kotohajime.' In the teahouse districts of Kyoto's Gion, geisha and maiko offer early New Year greetings to their mentors, saying, 'Omedetou-san dosu, yoroshuu o tanomoushimasu.' It's a year-end tradition to offer ”o-kagami-san” a round rice cake to their mentosr and receive a fan for Japanese dance.
At home, let's not be defeated by the cold and tidy up the window glass to welcome the New Year.