At midnight, both cultures herald in the New Year in similar styles; making noises with party favors and generally wishing each other Happy New Year. After that, the people in America tend to just go back to the drinking and partying, but in Japan things are (wait for it) a little different.
After ringing in the New Year, people in Japan usually visit their local shrine, sort of like an outdoor church, where they will wait in line to approach the shrine. Once in front, they will bow their head, throw some coins into a basket, bow their head again twice and grasp a thick rope connected to bells overhead. They will shake this rope, causing the bells to chime, clap their hands softly twice and then pray, bow their heads a final time and step aside in order to let the next group of people approach the shrine. Then you step to the side to receive a free cup of sake, now that is a type of church I can get behind!
Keep in mind that if anyone in your family had passed away during the year, the family does not visit the shrine on New Year or send and receive New Year's cards.
Which leads me to one of the coolest things about New Year's in Japan, the sending and receiving of New Year's cards. It's similar to Christmas cards in the US, but what makes it really cool is that on January 1st in Japan the mailman (or woman) will deliver all of the New Year's cards. How awesome is that? It would be like receiving nothing but Christmas cards on December 25th!
January 1st, the one day of the year where I am not afraid to check the mail.
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