Santa Claus: Japan and China. What does a Japanese Santa Claus look like? Does Santa Claus fly to Japan

There is only one New Year's holiday on the planet, and there are countless Santa Clauses. Each national culture has its own magical character that opens the doors to the next year. In the Land of the Rising Sun there are as many as three grandfathers, without whom the main winter holiday is unthinkable. What are the names of Japanese Santa Clauses and why are there three of them? The East remains true to its own traditions, but also adopts something from Western culture.

All-seeing and all-knowing

The name of the oldest of the Japanese Santa Clauses is Hoteyosho. This is the main symbol of the New Year. He knows human weaknesses and desires, can intervene in fate at the moment when the year begins "from scratch". That is why the Japanese revere him as a god and worship him, expecting the fulfillment of desires, good luck and prosperity. Japanese Santa Claus in the guise of the god Hoteyosho is portrayed as a good-natured old man who has eyes not only on his face, but also on the back of his head.

Mister January does not like fuss

The successor of Hoteyosho in Japan is considered to be a character whose presence at the festival is more tangible, because he goes from house to house on the eve of the celebration. This is Segatsu-san. The name of the wizard comes from the name of the month that begins the year - January, which sounds "segatsu" in Japanese. The particle "san" in the name of the Japanese Santa Claus means a polite form of address, which can be translated as "master."

Segatsu-san does not like fuss, and therefore he slowly walks from house to house for a whole week, and not just on New Year's Eve. He congratulates the inhabitants of the houses on the New Year, but does not give gifts. This is one of the main differences between the Eastern New Year grandfather and his Western counterparts. Another difference is how the Japanese Santa Claus looks like. He is dressed, of course, not in a fur coat, but in a kimono, and the color of the outfit is “ao”, in Japanese this word denotes two shades - blue and green.

What do the Japanese do the week before the New Year?

On the days when Segatsu-san walks around the houses, the residents diligently prepare for the celebrations. There are bazaars, fairs, shops where you can buy gifts: talismans, souvenirs, amulets. Ritual gizmos are warmly welcomed at the New Year's Eve. Hamaims (arrows with white plumage) protect the house from unclean spirits, and boats filled with rice promise wealth. The most popular and even obligatory New Year's gift in Japan is kumade, translated as a “bear paw” made of bamboo, similar to a rake, to row happiness.

They meet the Japanese Santa Claus in front of the entrance to the house, in the gates of bamboo, entwined with pine branches, symbolizing longevity, or pull a rope of rice straw, decorated with fern leaves and tangerines. In wealthy homes during the celebrations you can see dwarf pines, peach and plum blossom trees. Segatsu-san will be happy if the children show him a performance or build snow figures on the porch.

Kolobkin's happiness

Instead of European spruce, the Japanese put New Year's compositions "mochibana" in their homes, their name can be translated as "flowers from mochi". Initially, "mochi" are rice balls painted in different colors. Mochi, strung on twigs, attract wealth into the house, their joyful yellow and pink colors are reminiscent of the coming spring and symbolize the hope for a new harvest in the new year.

Wishes and gifts

Japanese Santa Claus wishes people longevity and good luck and will not forget to remind them to put pictures of sailboats under their pillows on New Year's Eve so that they will be bestowed by seven gods, each of which "manages" his own virtue: Daikoku gives luck, Jurojin - longevity , Benton - friendliness, Ebisu gives sincerity, Hotei - generosity, Bishamon-ten bestows dignity, Fukurokuju - benevolence. It is believed that the seven gods sail to the shores of Japan on a ship along with "Lord January", who lives on the island of Honshu.

Segatsu-san gives people only congratulations and good wishes, but material gifts are presented by older family members to the younger ones. Peers do not give gifts to each other. The main present is “otoshidama”, that is, “treasure of the year”. These are bright envelopes with money decorated with a bow.

East Santa

Recently, the kids of the Land of the Rising Sun know well the name of the Japanese Santa Claus: Oji-san. This is just the same old man familiar to all the children of the world with a bag of toys behind his back. This Japanese Santa Claus presents gifts to boys and girls who have earned them good behavior throughout the year.

The word "Oji-san" in Japan is used as a respectful term for an old person. This character appeared relatively recently as a tribute to Western tradition. The costume of the Japanese Santa Claus Oji-san also resembles the attire of Santa Claus: a red sheepskin coat trimmed with white fur, boots and a pointed hat with a bomb. Like Santa, Oji-san appears on the night of December 31-January 1 and gives children and adults an exciting holiday atmosphere. He enters when the brass bell tolls, announcing the transition from the old to the new year. The bell beats 108 times, so the ritual of purification from all vices is performed.

The main New Year's character, of course, is Santa Claus. A tall old man with a long white beard, in a red coat, with a staff and a bag of gifts. But in every country works your Santa Claus...

• Russia - Santa Claus. As mentioned above - This is a tall old man with a long white beard, in a red coat, with a staff and a bag of gifts. But earlier, the ancient Slavs represented him as a short, round-shouldered old man with a long gray beard. He walks through forests and fields, thumps with his staff and freezes ponds with ice. He does not like those who complain about the fierce winter, and those who rejoice, on the contrary, give vigor and a healthy hot blush. Image our Santa Claus, which has survived to this day, was created by Soviet filmmakers in the mid-30s of the XX century.


• Germany - Santa Nikolaus and Weinachtsman. Santa Nikolaus does not come around Christmas, but on December 6, on the day of St. Nicholas, and together with his servant Ruprecht gives gifts to good children, and to those who are guilty - rods. But on Christmas, Weinakhtsman comes to the children, very similar to our Santa Claus. Before going to bed, the children leave a plate for gifts, and put hay in their shoes for his donkey. Most often it is customary to celebrate this holiday in the family circle.


• - Shan Dan Laozhen, Dong Che Lao Ren or Sho Hin. On New Year's Eve, it is customary to decorate "Trees of Light". They are decorated with flowers, lanterns and garlands. Little Chinese hang stockings on the wall, where Dong Che Lao Ren (Grandfather Christmas) puts Christmas presents.


• Segatsu-san (Japanese Santa Claus)


• Japan - Oji-san, Segatsu-san or Hoteisho.Hoteysho is God with eyes on the back of his head, who sees everything. The main symbol of the New Year. All people worship him and ask for happiness and good luck in the New Year. But recently, two more characters Oji-san and Segatsu-san began to fight for the symbol of the New Year and Christmas.Segatsu-san wears a blue kimono. He goes around all the houses before Christmas and congratulates on the New Year holidays, but does not give gifts.Oji-san looks like Santa Claus and unlike Segatsu-san gives gifts to kids, probably because of this he became more loved.


• The name of this Santa Claus comes from the name of the first month of the year - January, which in Japanese sounds like "segatsu". It should be noted that this Christmas wizard differs significantly from its European counterparts. Let's start with the fact that Santa Claus of the Land of the Rising Sun prefers to dress mainly in a green kimono.It should also be noted that Segatsu-san visits people's houses not for one night, but for a whole week, which the Japanese call "golden", and preparations for it begin in mid-December. But the main difference from previous Santa Clauses is that Segatsu-san does not give gifts, but simply goes from house to house and wishes everyone a Happy New Year.The Japanese take the New Year celebration very seriously. For the Japanese Santa Claus, small gates are built in front of the houses from bamboo sticks with pine branches. This gate is called Kadomatsu. And richer people install dwarf trees of pine, plum or peach blossom. Children dress up in new clothes to be healthy and lucky in the coming year. They play hanetsuki (Japanese version of badminton), participate in New Year's performances, build houses and figurines out of snow (weather permitting), fly kites, and put pictures of sailboats under their pillows at night to be visited by the "Seven Gods of Fortune" ". Each of these gods symbolizes one of the good qualities: Daikoku - luck, Ebisu - sincerity, Benton - friendliness, Bishamon-ten - dignity, Jurojin - longevity, Hotei - generosity, Fukurokuju - benevolence. These deities sail to Japan on a magical ship along with Segatsu-san on the night of December 31st to January 1st. This is announced by 108 strikes of bells coming from Buddhist temples at midnight. According to Buddhist beliefs, a person is burdened by 108 pernicious passions, and each strike of the bell on New Year's Eve drives away one of these misfortunes.Where does this "Mr. January" live? Many Japanese believe that he lives in the town of Shiogama on the island of Honshu.




Currently, Segatsu-san is oppressed in every possible way by a relatively young Santa Claus - Oji-san. He is a modified version of the American Santa Claus. Now more and more children prefer Oji-san, and this is not surprising: Oji-san, unlike his "big brother", visits Japan only one night a year, namely from December 31 to January 1, transporting gifts by sea and give them to the kids. Oji-san is wearing a traditional red sheepskin coat.



• France - Pere Noel. Literally, Per Noel is translated as the father of Christmas. He comes along with old grandfather Shaland. Per Noel gives gifts to good children, and Schaland uses rods for naughty children. To appease Shaland, the children must sing a song in honor of his arrival. In France, Christmas is not a very family holiday, and most people celebrate it with friends in clubs, restaurants, loud music, champagne, etc.

All morning today I was rummaging through Wikipedia in search of the Japanese Santa Claus, I wanted to see how he still looks. Although Russian sites stubbornly claim that there is Santa Claus in Japan, I did not find a single mention of him or a picture on Japanese ones.

So here's what I remember.

Previously, the role of Santa Claus in Japan was played by the Buddhist god Hotei Osho - this is such a big half-naked uncle with long ears, a huge belly and the same huge bag. I don’t know what exactly his role was, but he didn’t give gifts and the children were afraid of him, so when a window to America opened in Japan, the kids fell in love with the good American Santa Claus with all their hearts. It is he who congratulates the Japanese on Christmas.

Japanese Santa Claus is called Paradise Yamamoto. He was born in Japan on the island of Hokkaido in 1962. Only in 1998 he passed the exam and became the first official Santa in Asia. Last year Japan hosted the First World Santa Claus Congress.

To whom Japanese kids have been writing letters for a whole hundred years, the question has not been fully clarified for me, so I will not rewrite from other Russian sites.

Almost every country in the world has its own kind grandfather who brings gifts for the New Year. Let's try to get to know them better, writes 112.ua.

Santa Claus, Santa Claus, even Yolopukki and Per Noel - these names of fabulous New Year's characters are known, if not to everyone, then to very many. What about Tovlis Bobua or Oji-San?

Many of the countries of the world can boast of their "Santa Claus". They may have a different name, not wear a fur coat or beard, have a completely different biography, but one thing remains unchanged - they are the symbols of the New Year holidays and are responsible for a good mood on New Year's Eve and Christmas. Let's get acquainted with the most famous (and also the most unusual).

Father Frost

Photos from open sources

• Santa Claus is a native of the Soviet era. The creation of the canonical image of this New Year's character dates back to the late 1930s.
• Depicted as an old man in a blue, blue, red or white coat, with a long white beard and a staff in his hand, in felt boots.
• Often appears in the company of the granddaughter of the Snow Maiden.
• The influence of Santa Claus has spread to many countries of Eastern Europe. In particular, to the countries of the former socialist camp.
• In 1999, Veliky Ustyug was recognized as the official residence of Father Frost in Russia. In 2003, the residence of the Belarusian Dzedo Maroz appeared on the territory of the National Park "Belovezhskaya Pushcha" (but more about him below).
• In Ukraine, in recent years, there has been a slight drop in the popularity of Santa Claus in favor of St. Nicholas.

Santa Claus

From open sources

Western European and North American fairy tale character

• Saint Nicholas is the prototype of Santa Claus.
• Santa was “brought” to America by the Dutch settlers, who celebrate the holiday of Sinter Klaas on December 6 in their homeland (more on that later.
• Over time, the Dutch name of St. Nicholas was simplified and changed to Santa Claus, and the time of celebration merged with the Christmas holidays.
• The modern Santa was invented in 1823 by Clement Clarke Moore.
• It is believed that Santa Claus rides on a sleigh pulled by reindeer.
• Deer names: Swift, Dancer, Prancing, Grumpy, Comet, Cupid, Thunder, Lightning.
• In houses, to leave gifts for children and adults, Santa gets through the chimneys.
• By the way, in order to collect and deliver gifts in time, Santa has helpers - elves.

Yolupukki

From open sources

Finnish "Santa Claus"

• Translated from Finnish means "Christmas goat".
• Yolupukki has long hair, wears a high cone-shaped hat and red clothes.
• He is surrounded by dwarf helpers. They sit in the Echo Caverns for a year and listen to how children around the world behave, and before Christmas sort out the Christmas mail.
• Yolupukki has a wife - Muori. She represents winter.

Per Noel and Saint Schaland

From open sources

And this is the French. And yes, there are two of them.

• Per-Noel is kind and brings gifts to children. Shaland is not so kind and carries rods in a basket for naughty and lazy children.
• The forerunner of the modern Per-Noel first appeared on the modern territory of France - in the border of Lorraine, where, according to legend, he came to good obedient children and gave them gifts.
• How to visually recognize who is who? Per-Noel was depicted in several versions: with a staff, similar to a bishop's baton, and in a wide-brimmed hat. Or in a long red robe trimmed with white fur. Shaland is a bearded old man, dressed in a fur hat and a warm travel cloak.

Babbo Natale

From open sources

Next up is Italy

• Babbo Natale is practically no different from the American Santa Claus.
• This is a kind bearded grandfather in a red coat and red trousers, who rides a sleigh pulled by reindeer.
• Interestingly, there is another character. Her name is Befana.
• Befana is similar to the more famous Baba Yaga. She is wearing a long cloak and a pointed hat.
• Before her appearance, children hang stockings and shoes from the fireplace.
• According to legend, Befana arrives on a magic broom, opens the door with a golden key and puts goodies in the stockings and shoes of exemplary children, and leaves coals or ashes for pranksters.

Weinakhtsman

• It means "Christmas Man".
• Weinachtsman comes to visit on the evening before Christmas with Kristkind.
• He looks like a friendly old man with a long white beard, wearing a red fur coat with white fur.
• Christkind is dressed in a white outfit and is usually the image of a girl or a female angel.
• Gifts are received only by obedient children. Capricious and playful - remain empty-handed.

syntherklaas

From open sources

Well, here is Holland (well, Belgium, by the way)

• This is an old man with a white beard and hair, in a red robe and miter, who rides a white horse.
• Sinterklaas has a big book that describes gifts for all children, their names and addresses.
• He arrives by boat at the end of November from Spain to bring all the gifts by December 5th.
• In many cities, after his arrival, he officially and solemnly passes through the streets with his retinue and is honored with a reception from the city authorities.

Tovlis babua

From open sources

This is Georgia

• Translated as "snow grandfather"
• He looks like a gray-haired old man with a long beard, dressed in a black or white chokha with a white cloak. On the head is a traditional Svan hat.
• Tovlis babua brings gifts to children in a large bag called khurjini.

Zyuzya

• Depicted as a short grandfather, with a long gray beard. He walks barefoot, without a hat, in a white casing. In his hand is an iron mace.
• To appease Zyuzya, Belarusians on Christmas night put a part of kutya in a separate plate and leave it on a separate table for the night.

Oji-San and Dan Laocheng

From open sources

Japanese and Chinese "Santas"

• Until recently, the traditional Japanese "Santa Claus" was one - Segatsu-San. Now there are two of them - added Oji-San.
• Oji-san is a modified version of the American Santa Claus.
• He brings gifts by sea. Dressed in a traditional red sheepskin coat.
• Dan Laocheng is practically no different from Santa Claus. At least the traditions of giving gifts are the same.
• He looks like a wise old man. He wears silk clothes and travels around the country on a donkey.

More names of "colleagues"

Hawaiian Santa Claus Open source

in Bulgaria - Dyado Koleda

in Brazil - Papa Noel

in Hungary - Nikolaus or Telara

in Hawaii - Kanakaloka

in Israel - Sylvester

in Spain and Latin America - Papa Noel

in Poland - Saint Nicholas

in Portugal - Pai Natal

in Turkey - Noel Baba

in the Czech Republic and Slovakia - Ezhichek

in Estonia - Jõuluvana

In Russia - Santa Claus, in France - Pere Noel, in Japan - Segatsu-san. Santa Clauses - they are all different: one is kind, and the other can scold. Everyone has their own personal way to enter the holiday home, and besides, they all look different. A wonderful selection of relatives of our Santa Claus from around the world.

Russia - Father Frost, Father Treskun, Morozko and Karachun rolled into one. He looks a little stern. He wears a fur coat to the ground and a high hat, in his hands he has an ice staff and a bag of gifts. Here he is ours. so dear, Grandfather Frost himself.

"Santa Christian" from Burundi. Among African Catholics, Santa Claus lives on Mount Kilimanjaro, because. it is the only mountain in Africa that has permanent snow on top.

This is what Santa Claus looks like in Hawaii.

In Australia it is Sylvester. Australian Santa Claus is the same, only in swimming trunks and on a scooter (you know, it's hot on the first of January in the country of kangaroos

The Dutch Cinderkalas wears a caftan and white boots. Just before the New Year, he sails to Amsterdam on a ship, but he does not distribute gifts himself. For this, he has a retinue - the Moors in magnificent turbans.

Belarusian Dzed Maroz.

Babbo Natale. Looks like our Santa Claus. This beloved Italian character has its historical roots in Saint Nicholas. Babbo Natale lived for a long time at the North Pole, and later acquired an excellent home in the Finnish north - in Lapland. In addition to him, the good fairy Befana (La Befana) comes to obedient children and gives gifts. The naughty people get a piece of coal from the evil sorceress Befana.

Per Noel, Grandfather January. Winter folklore New Year's character straight from France. According to tradition, Per Noel, having arrived at the house on a donkey in wooden shoes and with a basket of gifts, enters through the chimney into the house, laying out gifts in shoes left in front of the fireplace. The French "Father January" walks with a staff and wears a wide-brimmed hat.

Sintaklaas, or Sinterklaas - Nicholas the Wonderworker, in the Netherlands, Belgium and Poland. Children and adults also celebrate St. Nicholas Day on December 5, although it is not considered a national holiday. According to legend, he left golden apples in a slipper in front of the fireplace to his family. It was a very long time ago, so St. Nicholas is considered the very first Santa Claus. He rides a horse, wearing a miter and a white episcopal robe. He is always accompanied by the Moorish servant Black Peter, who carries a bag with gifts for obedient children behind his back, and in his hands - rods for naughty ones.

Daidi na Nollaig is Ded Moroz's Irish counterpart. Ireland is a religious country and appreciates its good old traditions very much. That is why the New Year in Ireland will be saturated with mysticism and unusualness.

In Cyprus and Greece, Santa Claus is called Vasily at all.

USA - Santa Claus. The American grandfather wears a cap and red jacket, smokes a pipe, travels through the air on reindeer, and enters the house through a pipe. Santa Claus is the most famous partner of Santa Claus. Gray hair, neat beard and mustache. A dark leather belt wraps around a thick belly. In fact, this is an elf-cheerful. Most often, he has glasses on his nose, and a smoking pipe in his mouth (in recent years he has been trying not to “press” on this element of the image).

Sweden - Kris Kringl, Yulnissan, Yul Tomten (Yolotomten), Sweden has two Santa Clauses: a stooped grandfather with a knobby nose Yultomten and a dwarf Yulnissaar. Both the one and the other go home on New Year's Eve and leave gifts on the windowsills.

Many peoples of Russia have a similar character: the Karelians call him Pakkaine (Frost), and he is young.

Mongolia - Uvlin Uvgun, Yamal Iri. accompanied by Zazan Ohin (Snow Maiden) and Sheena Zhil (boy-New Year). New Year in Mongolia coincides with the festival of cattle breeding, so Santa Claus wears the clothes of a cattle breeder. In Mongolia, Santa Claus looks like a shepherd. He is dressed in a fur coat and a large fox hat. On his side he has a snuffbox, flint and steel, and in his hands is a long whip.

Ehee Dyyl or Chiskhan - Yakut Santa Claus.

This New Year's character, apparently, "settled" better than other New Year's colleagues. Judge for yourself: his wife Kyhyn Khotun is in charge of winter time; the three daughters of Saaschaan, Sayyina and Kuhyuney distribute spring, summer and autumn duties among themselves. What Ehee Dyyl himself does is not entirely clear.

In China, Santa Claus is called simply and uncomplicated: Dong Che Lao Ren or Shan Dan Laozhen. Despite the exotic name, the habits of the Chinese grandfather from the famous Santa Claus are not at all different.

Yollopukki lives in Finland. He has a wife Maria. Yollopukki wears a long sheepskin coat, and warns of his appearance with a bell. Joulupukki, such a name was not given to him in vain: "Youlu" means Christmas, and "pukki" - a goat. Many years ago, Santa Claus wore a goat skin and delivered gifts on a goat. In the photo, Yollopukki is on the right with his Hungarian colleague.

Santas of the world. Norway - Nisse (small brownies). ... Even though Nisse is a caring protector of the house, he is very vindictive. isse - a creature from Scandinavian folklore, daimon (genius), brownie. In Norway, among the nisse, they distinguish: Brown nisse Christmas nisse Church nisse Ship nisse Forest nisse Brown nisse is called so only in the south and east of Norway.

Japanese Santa Claus Oji-san. In Japan, the New Year is celebrated with 108 tolls of the bell. The most popular New Year's gift is Kumade - a bamboo rake, so that there is something to rake in happiness. Houses are decorated with pine branches, pine is a symbol of longevity. In Japan (since recently), two Santa Clauses compete - Segatsu-san and the newcomer Oji-san (a modified version of the American Santa Claus). Unlike young Oji, the traditional Segatsu-san has to go from house to house for a whole week, which the Japanese call "golden". Dressed in a traditional Japanese Segatsu-san in a sky blue kimono. He does not give gifts to kids, but only wishes every Japanese a Happy New Year. Gifts for children are made by their parents. Segatsu-san means "Lord New Year".