Aya from Kobe

G = Gary

A = Aya

G: I know you are from Japan, which part of Japan are you from?

A: I am from Kobe in Kansai area, its near Kyoto.

G: Did you celebrate New Year in Kobe last year?

A: Yea

G: How did you celebrate?

A: My family and I got together on New Year's eve. We went to watch a traditional music show (Kouhaku). This music show has been tradtional for 70 years. And the moment through New year eve and the New Year, we ate noodles and wish for good luck. We said happy new year to each other and went to bed.

G: What did you do on the New Year Day?

A: In the morning we have another celebration, and of course, we got red evelops with money in. We went to a shrine to pray for good luck for the year. And that's pretty much about it.

G: Is there anything that you have to do or anything that you are not supposed to do in New Year?

A: Yeah, The first day of the New Year we are not supposed to use knife. It is because we need to give female a rest. And second day we can not take a bath and I don't know why.

G: Do you think New Year in Kobe is same as in Tokyo?

A: hmm... pretty much the same, only the way we make the Ozouni is a little bit different, I believe in Tokyo, people cook it with chicken soup base and we cook it with miso base.

G: Thank you for you time.

A: No problem.