January’s gomei celebrate auspicious “firsts”—first sunrise, first water drawn, first pine—and set a dignified, hopeful tone for the entire year.
January’s gomei celebrate auspicious “firsts”—first sunrise, first water drawn, first pine—and set a dignified, hopeful tone for the entire year.
| Gomei | Meaning |
|---|---|
| wakamizu | First water drawn at dawn on New Year’s Day |
| hatsuyume | First dream of the year |
| hatsuhinode | First sunrise of the year |
| saitan | New Year’s morning |
| gantan | New Year’s Day at dawn |
| gyokei | New Year felicitation |
| kadomatsu | New Year pine decorations |
| matsukazari | General term for New Year greenery decos |
| shimekazari | Shimenawa New Year decoration |
| kagamimochi | Stacked rice–cake offering |
| mochibana | Rice-cake blossoms |
| obukucha | “Good-fortune tea” drunk at New Year |
| otoso | Spiced New Year sake |
| wakana | Young greens of the season |
| nanakusa | The “seven herbs” of spring |
| wakamatsu | Fresh young pine |
| shōchikubai | Pine-bamboo-plum celebratory trio |
| tsurukame | Crane & turtle emblem of longevity |
| takarabune | “Treasure ship” of the Seven Gods |
| banzai | Traditional comic congratulation performance |
| manzairaku | Ancient court dance tune |
| fukuju | Felicitous longevity |
| fukujusō | Adonis flower blooming in snow |
| toshitokujin | Deity of the year’s direction |
| ehō | Lucky compass direction for the year |
| ehōmaki | Sushi roll eaten facing lucky direction |
| hatsumōde | First shrine/temple visit of the year |
| hatsuyu | First bath of the year |
| hatsuwarai | First laughter |
| hatsuku | First haiku composed in the year |
| hatsudako | First kite flown in the year |
| tako | Kite |
| hagoita | Battledore (wooden paddle) |
| hane | Shuttlecock for hanetsuki |
| hanetsuki | New Year badminton-like game |
| koma | Spinning top |
| sugoroku | Board game of dice |
| karuta | Japanese playing cards |
| kakizome | First calligraphy of the year |
| maizome | First dance performance |
| ōgihajime | First opening of folding fans at court |
| otoshidama | New Year gift money |
| hatsuharu | Early spring/New Year |
| hatsuakane | First red dawn of year |
| goraikō | Sacred sunrise viewed from heights |
| hatsugasumi | First haze of the year |
| zuiun | Auspicious clouds |
| zuikaku | Mythical “auspicious crane” |
| hatsukeshiki | First scenic view of the year |
| hatsuharukaze | First spring breeze |
| hatsuyuki | First snow of the year |
| kanbai | Winter-blooming plum |
| hakubai | White plum blossoms |
| kankōbai | Red winter plum |
| kantsubaki | Winter camellia |
| kanbotan | Winter peony |
| usurai | Thin ice |
| shimobashira | Frost columns |
| hatsuzora | First sky of the year |
| hatsukaze | First breeze of the year |
| hatsugoe | First bird-call (usually rooster) |
| hatsuuguisu | First warbler song |
| hatsuhikage | First sunlight of the year |
| hatsuhi | First sun |
| hatsugoyomi | First calendar opened in New Year |
| hatsufuji | First view of Mt. Fuji |
| hatsumatsu | First pine viewed in year |
| senryō | Sarcandra berry symbolising wealth |
| manryō | Ardisia with red berries |
| chitose | “A thousand years” – longevity wish |
| harutsugedori | Warbler heralding spring |
| sōbai | Early-blooming plum |
| sōshun | Early spring |
| shōgatsu | The New Year period |
| goshōgatsu | Honourific term for New Year |
| toshimukae | Welcoming the new year |
| saitansai | Imperial New Year rite |
| shihōhai | Emperor’s New Year prayer to four quarters |
| maitsuru | Dancing crane |
| hatsuichi | First market of the year |
| hatsutabi | First trip of the year |
| hatsutegami | First letter written in the year |
| hatsudayori | First news/message received |
| nengajō | New Year greeting card |
| nenshi | New Year visits/calls |
| toshizake | First sake of the year |
| toshidama | Old word for New Year gift |
| hatsuzake | First sake tasted in year |
| hatsunikki | First diary entry |
| sanganichi | First three days of New Year |
| matsunouchi | Period when pine decorations stay |
| osechirōri | Traditional New Year dishes |
| shōmon | “Laughing gate” bringing fortune |
| geishun | Welcoming spring |
| zuikō | Auspicious light |
| tosoki | Set of cups for otoso |
| wakashio | “Young tide” of early year |
| wakanatsumi | Picking young greens |
| hatsushimo | First frost of the year |
| zōniwan | Bowl for New Year soup |
| kuromame | Sweet simmered black soybeans |
| kazunoko | Herring roe for New Year dishes |
| tazukuri | Dried baby sardines dish |
| kōhaku | Red & white auspicious colours |
| fukuwarai | “Lucky-laugh” face-making game |
| kingin | Gold and silver |
| akebono | Daybreak |
| okina | Venerable Old Man |
| chitose | A Thousand Years |
| oimatsu | Old Pine Tree |
| takasago | Takasago |
| hagoromo | Feather Robe |
| hatsune | First Song (of the year) |
| fukuju | Good Fortune and Longevity |
| aioi | Growing Together |
| kagamibiraki | Mirror Opening |
| nanakusa | Seven Grasses |
| takarabune | Treasure Ship |
| tanchō | Red-crowned Crane |
| kirei | Tortoise's Age |
| kagura | Sacred Dance |
| musubi yanagi | Knotted Willow |
| hagoita | Battledore |
| zuiun | Auspicious Cloud |
| chōsei | Long Life |
| sennen no midori | Green for a Thousand Years |
| wagō | Gentle Light / Harmony |
| asahi | Rising Sun |
| hatsunagi | First Calm of the Year |
| nenohi | Day of the Rat |
| kakizome | First Calligraphy of the Year |
| hamaya | Demon-quelling Arrow |
| fukubiki | Fortune Lottery |
| uzumibi | Banked Fire |
| usugōri | Thin Ice |
| tsurara | Icicle |
| kangetsu | Winter Moon |
| yukibare | Clear Weather After Snow |
| sasameyuki | Light Snowfall |
| matsu no yuki | Snow on Pine |
| shimobashira | Frost Columns |
| suisen | Narcissus |
| fukujusō | Amur Adonis |
| kantsubaki | Winter Camellia |
| kanbotan | Winter Peony |
| oshidori | Mandarin Duck |
| miyakodori | Black-headed Gull (lit. Capital Bird) |
| ginsekai | Silver World |
| kazahana | Snow Flurry in a Clear Sky |
| muhyō | Rime Ice / Air Hoar |
| saeru | Piercingly Clear and Cold |
| matsukaze | Wind in the Pines |
| kimigayo | His Majesty's Reign |
| daikoku | Daikoku |
| sakae | Prosperity / Glory |
| hatsuyume | First Dream of the Year |
| ariake | Dawn Moon |
| sanyū | Three Friends |
| furō | Immortality / Eternal Youth |
| keiun | Celebratory Cloud |
| taihei | Great Peace |
| hōnen | Bountiful Year |
| kakurei | Crane's Age |
| kanbai | Winter Plum |
| kangiku | Winter Chrysanthemum |
| kareno | Withered Field |
| tamatsubaki | Jewel Camellia |
| tokiwa | Evergreen |
| hinode | Sunrise |
| fukuwarai | Lucky Laugh Game |
| seijaku | Silence/Tranquility |
| akatsuki | Dawn/Daybreak |
| ennen | Longevity (lit. Extend Years) |
| kitchō | Good Omen |
| shōun | Auspicious Cloud |
| saihou | Colorful Phoenix |
| asayuki | Morning Snow |
| kankō | Winter Light |
| shimoyo | Frosty Night |
| shinnyo | Thusness / Suchness (Tathātā) |
| buji | Nothing / No Incident |
| tae | Exquisite / Wondrous |
| harumachi | Waiting for Spring |
| sakigake | Forerunner / Pioneer |
| banzei | Banzai (Ten Thousand Years) |
| hōraijima | Hōrai Island |
| chōraku | Everlasting Joy |
| fukukai | Sea of Fortune |
| kōjitsu | A Good Day |
| ryūmon | Dragon Gate |
| shōryū | Ascending Dragon |
| kajitsu | Fine Day; Auspicious Day |
| hyōjō | On the Ice |
| zuisetsu | Auspicious Snow |
| gyokuto | Jade Rabbit |
| risshun | Beginning of Spring (Risshun) |
| geishun | Welcoming Spring |
| wakamizu | First Water of the Year |
| hōrai | Hōrai (a mythical paradise) |
| shōchikubai | Pine, Bamboo, and Plum |
| koma | Spinning Top |
| ebisu | Ebisu |
| kōrin | Kōrin |
| hatsushimo | First Frost (Late autumn kigo, but can represent the deep cold of Jan) |
In the tea room the New Year is welcomed with motifs of renewal and good fortune: evergreen pine (matsu), cranes and turtles, the rising sun, snow resting on bamboo, and the first water scooped from the well (wakamizu). Utensil names such as “Sho-gatsu no Hatsuhi” (New-Year Sunrise) or “Kotobuki no Matsu” (Pine of Congratulations) evoke longevity and purity, echoing Shintō symbolism and imperial court poetry. The hearth is still sunken (ro), charcoal burns high to warm the room, and the guest’s first bowl of tea is offered with wishes that the coming twelve months unfold as calmly and nobly as the still winter landscape outside.