First Light 2023 Event Cache

Celebrating the New Year in Japan means paying special attention to the "first" time something is done in the New Year. Hatsuhinode is the first sunrise of the year. Before sunrise on January 1, people often drive to the coast or climb a mountain so that they can see the first sunrise of the New Year. The real celebration does not begin until sunrise when the traditional meal of vegetables, seafood and dessert is served in one dish - the different types of food symbolizing prosperity.

In Asia, sunrise celebrations and honoring of the ancestors and elders brings luck.

Koreans make wishes for the New Year while watching the sunrise. Some wear traditional clothing. Family members gather early in the morning to remember their ancestors. After the observance, they eat a kind of rice cake soup. Koreans believe that eating this food will add an extra year to their life. After the meal, young people lower their heads to honor their parents and older adults. This means good health and good wishes. Many parents give the children money.

Vietnamese people get up and put on new clothes at sunrise.

Mongolians have a tradition to climb the nearest sacred hill or mountain on the first morning of the New year, offering dishes and burning juniper and incense sticks to welcome the New Year.

2023 is a year of the Water Rabbit. The sign of Rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity in Chinese culture. 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope. People born in a year of the Rabbit are believed to be vigilant, witty, quick-minded, and ingenious.

Famous Rabbit Year People
Albert Einstein, Michael Jordan, David Beckham, Lionel Messi

Plan on being early enough to witness the sunrise. We'll start to gather around 6:30 a.m. and hang till about 7:30 a.m. Happy New Year Everyone.