MustSee Travelogue
Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu
The New Year is the most important holiday on Nejiro. Years are traditionally viewed as completely separate with each new year providing a fresh start. It is celebrated from December 28th - January 4th. January 1 is a very auspicious day best started by viewing the new year's first sunrise (hatsu-hinode), traditionally believed to be representative for the whole year that will commence. Therefore the day is supposed to be full of joy and free of stress and anger, while everything should be clean and no work should be done. Most businesses and government offices shut down January 1st - 3rd, and families gather to spend the day together. Most dress up in their most festive kimonos to observe hatsumode (the first shrine visit of the year), and after praying to the deities of the shrine, people line up to buy omikuji (lucky charms) and hamaya (demon exorcism arrow) with the zodiac of the year. And all children enjoy receiving otoshidama (new year's money) from all their adult family members. The holiday begins on the 28th with Osoji (great housecleaning), all the dirt that accumulated in homes and workplaces over the previous year needs to be cleaned away, and symbolizes a fresh spirit and new beginning. Then homes are decorated with new year ornaments welcoming the new year gods blessings and warding off misfortune and unclean spirits. The postal deadline for nengajo (new year greeting cards), a very popular custom where handwritten greetings are sent to family, friends and coworkers updating them on the years progress and offering good wishes for the upcoming year, individuals usually send out several dozen; they are to be at the post office by close of business on the 29th for special delivery on January 1st. Also on this day all the preparations for osechi-ryori are made. The traditional new year dishes recognizable by its colorful and elaborate arrangement of fish, beans, shrimp and other ingredients, and the fancy boxes in which they are contained, representing longevity, endurance, generations, prosperity, good health and happiness.
Bonenkai are year forgetting parties and held with the purpose of leaving the old years worries and troubles behind, usually with copious amounts of alcohol. These are held throughout the month of December. The biggest of these are held on the 31st and usually tie into the year end countdown, some are even family friendly. Some of the most popular events are:
Stars at Night Gala
A fun, elegant, unique evening featuring a ballroom gala. Favorite celebrities from tv and radio compete against one another in a ballroom dance competition. The black tie evening takes place in the Sunset Ballroom at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Samar. Cocktails begin at six in the evening and are accompanied by The Ellington Orchestra and open dancing. Dinner service, supervised by Chef Tosio Kandagawa of the Miyazaki Wagyu begins at seven thirty. The competition begins at eight thirty. At ten thirty there is a special dance showcase by the top performers at the Blackpool Dance Festival, while the judges confer over the results. The judges announce the winners at eleven and then the dessert carts are circulated. Midnight is chimed in by memento hand bells and a plum wine toast. The dance floor is then reopened for open dancing and cocktails continue to be served until two am. Tickets for the event start at 200 c-bills each and the proceeds benefit the Light Research Foundation.
New Year's Blast
A high energy music festival geared toward the younger set who have not reached legal age to consume alcohol or enter clubs. The ticket price includes two 24 inch confetti cannons with several reloads, an led lighted, flashing tambourine and several glow sticks and strings. The event occurs at Mercury Stadium, Broadmeadow Station, Yousai on the 31st from 12pm to 12:30 am. This years performers include Pretty Rhythm, Daybreak, Masaki Seda,Black6ix, iKON, VIXX, The East Light, Ken Hirai, Che'nelle, Varsity, Matt Nash, and Kinnara Taiko, the Soaring Dragon Dance Troupe. Tickets start at 200 c-bills.
Gatsby's Yacht
The roaring twenties; the birth of popular culture, and modern industry, the crazy years are celebrated on the party cruise of the year. The Golden Sunshine cruise ship will be transformed for the evening into an art deco, prohibition era speakeasy dance club. There will be a strict dress code of semiformal attire of the period; flapper dresses and zoot suits are encouraged. There are two ballrooms with dance music provided by Steamboat Willie, Boilermaker Jazz Band, Mission City Hot Rhythm Cats and Meschiya Lake & the Little Big Horns. Also enjoy the Cotton Club Parade musical revue including dancers, singers, comedians and variety acts as well as the Bojangles Orchestra. Dinner service in the indoor-outdoor restaurant La Terrassa begins at seven. Hors d'oeuvres, cigars and champagne will be passed throughout the cruise. The full service open bars will be tempting you with top shelf moonshine and martini cocktails. Enjoy the atmosphere and the best views of the Illuminated Water Parade and Nenmatsu no Hanabi Taikai (year end fireworks display). The Golden Sunshine departs on the 31st from Discovery Bay Marina Club, Lanikai at 5pm. Tickets start at 500 c-bills. Small staterooms are available to a limited number of guests for an additional 1000 c-bills for those who want to obseve hatsu-hinode over the ocean horizon.
Waterfront Gala Ball
Celebrate in style in the luxurious environment of the Grand Ballroom of the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, Yousai. The ball; which takes place on the 30th; is organized by the NPO Veterans Association and has an exclusive but varied guest list of just 500 of the ichizoku, upper class socialites, captains of industry, military and militia leaders, top level NPO leadership, political movers and shakers, ambassadors, trade envoys, artists, pop stars and select journalists. The event is used to help foster cooperation between various agencies. The guest list is closed, but with a donation of at least 10,000 c-bills to the NPO Veterans Association you may gain entrée to the most exclusive red carpet event of the year. Social media and selfies are banned inside the event, but its red carpet fashions are widely photographed, reviewed, critiqued and emulated. The red carpet entrance has turned into a party of its own; as fans, paparazzi, and journalists gather to photograph the event; street vendors and entertainers followed the crowds and now the city closes off all the blocks surrounding the hotel to traffic, except for guest limousines.
This year, there is much speculation on whether or not the Governor will be attending, as she will be out of official mourning.
Bonenkai Indulgence
Quezon's premiere party event that is proven to be the hottest way to ring in the New Year. The fun spreads out over 140,000 square feet of party space, for a unique party experience that attracts crowds from all over Quezon and beyond. The three thousand plus party goers will have two live stages of music; the JBL Theater will host live performances by Atomic Angel, Jagged Edge, Shanghai Clan and The Girls, and the Sky Church Stage will feature Black Tiger, Sexy Zone, Ya-Ya-Yah, and Suzaku Blaze; The Comedy Lounge will have the New Year's Laugh Off featuring famous comedians and Comedy Festival winners; the DJ Clubroom will have performances by KSHMR, EDM, Dmitri Vegas and Miss K8 for those who want to dance the night away. Ticket holders; available for 250c-bills; will have more than twenty bars, state of the art sound and lighting, party favors, coat check, food, a champagne toast and confetti balloon drop at midnight, and access to the open exhibits of the EMP museum.
The VIP package; available for 750 c-bills in limited numbers; includes a private booth in the Comedy Lounge, access to a private gallery that overlooks the DJ Clubroom, a delicious tasting menu catered by the Aria Catering Company served in the Culture Kitchen at a private table, a private entrance with no waiting, complimentary private coat check, exclusive elevator access to the private VIP bar, exclusive access to a private balcony overlooking the Sky Church Stage, first class party favors, exclusive access to the Blue Lounge and souvenir metal bracelet with an RF chip that grants access to all VIP areas. The venue, the Experience Media Project is a one of a kind museum, combining interactive and interpretive exhibits. It features a world class collection of artifacts, unique architecture, state of the art technology, and exciting interactive presentations. The EMP encourages visitors to experience the power and joy of music and media in its many forms.
Last Night
A family friendly street festival in Downtown Hilo, sponsored by the Sugai Ichizoku and the Hilo City Council. The festival begins , at dawn on the 28th, with a procession down Promenade Boulevard and a ceremony while the metal, ninety meter, Shin'nen No To (new years tower) is erected in Seihokei Square, and the Good Fortune Ball is put in place. The Good Fortune Ball is a geodesic sphere four meters in diameter, weighing five thousand kilograms and has three thousand faceted crystal triangles that vary in size and length, which are illuminated by more than thirty thousand RGB LED lights. The Ball is capable of displaying billions of color patterns that creates a spectacular kaleidoscope effect as The Ball rotates and rises up the Shin'nen No To. Ticket holders receive a button; it works in two ways, it offers free admission to some of Hilo's museums and galleries on December 30th and 31st, and grants the holder entrance to the festival on the 31st. They also receive bells to help ring in the New Year. Festival goers enjoy food, live entertainment stages with taiko, dance exhibitions, live bands and magicians; carnival games including koma (top battles), goldfish scooping, takoage (lighted, luminescent kite flying),hanetsuki (badminton without the net and brightly colored, lighted shuttlecocks, the longer the shuttlecock stays in the air the more protection from mosquitos you will have in the new year); the Electric Light Procession and a large fireworks show. At midnight the countdown that began on the 28th concludes and the Good Fortune Ball completes its rise up the tower and 'explodes' with confetti and lucky paper cranes.
Ocean Drums Luau
The Regency Resorts Samoa presents the sound of the conch, the beating of the drums, the echoes of the chant and the lighting of the torches signals the start of the Kasai Isles most exciting Luau. Ocean Drums takes you on a journey throughout the islands complete with imu ceremony and the exotic flavors of native cuisine. We feature authentic dances and music of all the island cultures. Join us under the stars on the Sunset Terrace just steps away from Ka'anapali Beach, for a perfect evening of culture, entertainment, and delicious food and drink. Ocean Drums is the most exciting and longest running show sharing the legends and stories of various Polynesian cultures through the eras. The revue emphasizes connections and similarities across cultures, most importantly how guests are welcomed. Polynesian cultures demand that visitors be treated well, fed well, and welcomed with songs and dances. After the Luau guests are invited to a private area of Ka'anapali Beach for an outstanding view of the fireworks show and the year's first sunrise.
Pink Party
Starwood Pink Palace, Suzaku Island
Come dressed to impress and party until dawn breaks. The party begins at six on the Ocean Lawn and features cuisine by Executive Chef Colin Hazama, including pier 38 poke, chilled seafood, flights of caviar, steamed crab, prime rib, rack of lamb, roast pig, seared hiramasa, kuai shrimp, dessert stations, chocolate fountains, malasadas stand, and a barista bar. There will also be live music from Na Leo Filimehana, Brothers Cazimero, Keali Reichel, DJ Zinn, The Green and Shaka. guests may also enjoy the Mai Tai Bar, the Champagne Lanai, belly dancers, body painting, henna artists and fire dancers. There will be a New Year Wish Lantern Launch, midnight balloon drop and the Shades of Pink Fireworks Show. The party moves to the Surf Lanai after the fireworks for those who want to witness the first sunrise. The VIP Cabanas can accommodate up to ten guests and includes a private host, bottle service, champagne welcome, whiskey tasting flights, cigar service and party favors.
Sora no ki Omisoka
The largest public square in Yousai, is Sunflower Square. Home to Parliament Hill, Rizal Park Station, Victorian Townhouse Row and the Sora no ki broadcasting tower. Every year at 12:01 am on the last day of the year Sora no ki Tower begins the end of year countdown. The tower is lit from the base in increments coinciding with the countdown, in various colors, patterns and words of wishes for the coming year. Just before sunset the stage; a 360 degree rotating platform under the tower, and four twenty meter video screens are placed around the square; is set for a variety of the most popular Enka singers in the Cluster to perform. Up to half a million people attend the free event, which is also broadcast live on HBC 2. Hosting this year is comedian Tamori. Scheduled to appear are Fuyumi Sakamoto, Hiroshi Uchiyamada and Cool Five, Keiko Fuji, Frank Nagai, Flower Flower, Kanjani Eight, Kitajima Saburou, Killer Bee, Cai Gui, Yuko Maki, Teresa Tang, Shiro Miya, Tonosama Kings, Jero, Jody Chiang, Risa Yoshiki, Midori Sasa and Cheuni. They will be accompanied by the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra led by Krysztof Urlanski. At midnight the countdown reaches its conclusion and balloons are dropped over the square and fireworks are launched from the top of Sora no ki synced with musical selections performed by the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. Please make allowances when departing, as the square is popular for observing hatsu-hinode and many camp in Sunflower Square or Rizal Park.
NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen
Held at the Budokan Concert Hall in Hilo, it is the most watched show on New Year's Eve. Hosted this year by Kenji Suzuki, the Red And White Song Battle divides the most popular music artists of the year into competing teams. Akagumi, the Red Team is composed of female artists or groups led by female vocals. Shirogumi, the White Team is the male artists or groups led by male vocals. The honor of performing on Kohaku is strictly by invitation, so only the most successful singing acts in the entertainment industry may perform. NHK broadcasts the show live to millions of viewers, and a performance on Kohaku is a big highlight in a singers career due to the shows wide reach. The program airs mostly commercial free starting at seven in the evening and continues as both teams, each having at least 25 performers, compete with the performances of their best songs. Performances are judged on both presentation and performance. The contest concludes at 11pm and while the votes of the judges and audience members present and at home are tabulated; there are special performances by past participants of the battle. Everything wraps up at 11:40 when the winners are announced and the contestants gather on the stage to sing Hokaru no Hikari. Then at 11:45 the Halls video screens switch to live coverage of the Watched Night Bell at Sensoji Temple; where the monks ring the bell 108 times to rid us of the 108 worldly desires and previous years sins. Then there is a fireworks show accompanied by the NHK Orchestra performing Beethoven's Ninth.
This year 54 performers were invited to the Red and White Song Battle and confirmations include, Doogie White, Shino Ochi, DC5, Bring Me the Horizon, Nicky Wire, Alexos Kapranos, Jimme Oneill, Jonathon Moody, Big Whiskey, Darlia, Zvuki Mu, Vitya Chekov, unBrothers, The Bandit Band, 10000 Promises, Favorite Blue, Perfume, Chira-bi, Gackt, Tsunku, supercell, Giesu no Kiwame Otome, Arashi, Exile, AKB48, Morning Musume, Nogizaku 46, ZYX, V6, Garnet Crow, Bennie K, Sachiko Kobayasi and Momoro Clover Z. There have also been confirmations for special performances by Kara, Big Bang, Girls Generation, EXO, Amber Liu, Kim Yoona and, missA.
Stonehaven Fire Festival at Hogmanay
In the Kiso Mountains, southwest of Ceallach on the shores of Loch Shin, stands the oldest surviving town on Nejiro, Stonehaven. The Fire Festival has been held here since before The Founding. The Fire Festival is held to burn off the bad spirits left from the old year so that the spirit of the new year can come in clean and fresh. The Festival begins at sunset with the lighting of The Bonfire. The Festival continues with fire performers (dancers, jugglers and object manipulators), many of which light their props from The Bonfire. There are also drummers, pipe bands, fiddlers, story tellers, ceilidh dancers and Celtic fusion bands. There is a rich selection of food including curries, dumplings, scones, whiskey, bannocks, shortbread, black buns, crepes, hand pies, and beer. At eleven the crowd gathers around The Bonfire as The Marchers construct the fireballs; balls of chicken wire with juniper and other dry flammable materials, up to two feet in diameter, with a wire, chain or nonflammable rope up to three feet in length. As the crowd sings Auld Lang Syne the fireballs are set alight from The Bonfire. The Marchers; in costume and painted faces; continuously swing the fireballs around their heads and following The Pipers, circle The Bonfire several times then set off from High Street down to Mercat Cross then on to the Cannon and back. Spectators beware. At the end of the procession; while the bells of the Tower house ring in the midnight hour; the burning fireballs are cast into the loch. This signals the launch of the fireworks from barges on the loch, to mark the start of the new year. Now the party begins and continues for the next two days.
Final Call
Party until dawn at the biggest; and due to the islands position on the dateline; last end of year celebration at Aloha Pier Marketplace on Vanuatu. Among the attractions will be the Eat the Street food truck arena with more than thirty vendors; The Midway Carnival featuring the Shining Flower, a traveling 48 meter Ferris Wheel and Wicked, a portable looping steel roller coaster with a 30 meter drop doing 84 km/h through five inversions at 5g; Karaoke Contest; MMA Cage Fight, Poker Tournament; Shamisan Duels; numerous bars and five stages of live music from national recording sensations Crush, Drunken Tiger, Dok2, Eric Naam, Brown Eyed Girls, Glay, Secret, Tiffany Hwang, Himitsu, U-kiss, Wonder Girls, Beast, Infinite, Jeon Boram, Joy, Red Velvet, Jun K, Yuzu, Masaharu Fukuyama, Nicole Jung, 4minute, SeeYa, After School, CN Blue, Lee Soro, Luna, Kagayaku, Outsider, Rain, Xiumin, Eir Aoi, Tasha Reid, Taegoon, and 2PM. The last attraction is the Midnight Finale Fireworks Show, the biggest on the planet, firing one million fireworks off of eight barges for ninety minutes. Tickets are 250 c-bills for general admission, twenty one and over only. VIP packages are available and include private concierge service, priority access to all attractions, exclusive access to the SkyLounge Rooftop Bar with amazing views of the live stages and fireworks show, multichannel wireless headphones connected to the stage sound systems, exclusive backstage access with meet and greets, and an Antony Messenger Bag by Mulberry containing a tri-copper fidget spinner, rock candy sticks, bejeweled wine charms, ribbon bell wands, frosted glass fragrance rollers, confetti cones, petit fours, a wishing lantern, tin party horns, Swarovski keychain, a Cipriani pashmina scarf, and a selection of Dolce Couture Candy for 3500 c-bills.