In Japan everyone used to celebrate becoming one year older on New Year's Day regardless of their real birthday until the end of the World War II.
Now,the time has passed and the New Year has less significance than before.
Still, we celebrate the New Year's Days (that is, Jan.1st to 7th) with our respective ways.
A week before the New Year's Day, each and every house and building decorate its entrance with Shimekazari and Kadomatsu.
Shimekazari is made of sacred rope of rice straw (Shimenawa) decorated with various auspicious objects and put on the entrance door to keep out evil spirit.
Kadomatsu are a pair of pine decorations that are placed in front of the gates. Kadomatsu consist of three bamboo poles of differnt lengths, pine tree branches and sprays of plum trees.
Both Shimekazari and Kadomatsu are removed on January 7th.
