- Title: CHINA/JAPAN: China, Japan celebrate Lunar New Year
- Date: 23rd January 2012
- Summary: SLATE INFORMATION
- Embargoed: 7th February 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan, China
- City:
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA5Z4A61XXXNEFYCBZD4GJOOUEX
- Story Text: Celebrations rang out in Beijing and Yokohama on Sunday night (January 22), to mark the start of the lunar new year.
In Beijing, fireworks exploded into the sky, to celebrate the year of the dragon, which begins on Monday (January 23).
The dragon is believed to be a powerful, mythical creature that symbolises good luck in many Asian countries.
"I'm so happy to see in the New Year this way. It's so much fun to set off fireworks with friends and family. I feel so happy to see the explosions, and I don't have a care in the world," said local resident, Anna Du.
Traditionally, fireworks are believed to have been first set off to scare off a man-eating monster, and they have now become an indispensable feature of the nationwide celebrations.
The Lunar New Year is an important event for many in China, as it is the only holiday in the year that they get to spend with their families and relatives.
In China, the Lunar New Year is known as the "Spring Festival", since the spring season in the Chinese calendar starts on the first day of the new year.
Meanwhile in Japan, well-wishers rang in the Chinese new year at midnight on Sunday (January 22) with firecrackers and prayers in Yokohama, Japan's Kantei-Byo Temple.
Several hundred people, mainly the Chinese community of Yokohama and tourists came out to enjoy the festivities in the surprisingly temperate weather at the local Chinese temple in the heart of Japan's largest Chinatown. Japanese do not celebrate the Lunar New Year and Monday (January 23) is a regular working day in Japan, and not a major holiday as it is in the rest of Asia.
After well-wishers had counted down to the new year, a loud cacophony of firecrackers exploded into the air.
"Last year I didn't know about this, but this year I heard about the Chinese lunar new year celebration, and I heard how much fun the firecrackers were, so I thought I'd come as a kind of tourist for the event," said local resident, Takatsugu Sannomiya.
Hosting the annual event, the Kantei-Byo Temple, also known as Guan Gong Temple, is an important cultural and spiritual centre for the Chinese community living in Japan. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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