In Japan, the New Year decorations are used only once, they are never kept for the next year. This is not because they are made of perishable materials, and has nothing to do with the storage space. The New Year decorations are actually lucky charms, so they are considered to be “working” only during the current year.

Therefore, at the beginning of the year, they are collected at shrines and temples in order to be burned in a ritual fire, during a festival callled Dondo Yaki. Their burning symbolizes the desire to move forward, leaving the past behind…

Dondo Yaki, Matsumoto

EXIF Info:

Yesterday’s Japan Photo: The Okayama Castle original surviving tower