O-shogatsu, or New Year's holidays, is a special time for Japanese people, who typically go back to the basics of their long-standing traditions. It's a time when those who left their hometowns for the big cities for work or school go back to visit their families, invite relatives and friends to their homes and wear kimono.
It's also a time for foreigners who choose to stay in Japan to get a taste of traditional Japan.
Below are some of the traditions Japanese people participate in over the New Year's holidays.