今日は１月11日、鏡開きですね。
元々は松の内(1月7日)が終わる小正月（1月15日 [旧暦]）後の1月20日 (旧暦)に行われていましたが、徳川家光が亡くなったのが慶安4年(1651年)4月20日 (旧暦)であったために1月20日を忌日として避け、後に松の内後の1月11日 (旧暦)とされたそうです。(商家の「蔵開き」が行われていた日に合わせたという説もあります。)とにかく、何百年も続く伝統行事であることは間違いありません。
Kagami Biraki (鏡開き) es una ceremonia tradicional japonesa cuyo nombre significa literalmente "abrir el espejo" o "romper el espejo". Se realiza usualmente el 11 de enero de cada año, y consiste en romper un Kagami mochi (鏡餅 dos tortas de arroz superpuestas con una mandarina encima) ofrendado a las divinidades shintoistas en un altar, aunque también se rompe un envase de sake en la ceremonia.
Actualmente, el kagami biraki se realiza también en bodas, eventos deportivos, o fechas de celebración importante en entidades comerciales o comunitarias. Antes de la ceremonia, se coloca un par de kagami mochi que son tradicionales pastelillos redondos del tamaño de pequeños platos, ante un altar shintoísta como ofrenda de bienvenida a las divinidades que visitan la tierra en Año Nuevo, este mochi ornamental es retirado el 11 de enero y roto en pequeñas piezas antes de ser ingerido por los participantes.
Kagami Biraki (鏡開き) is a Japanese traditional ceremony which literally translates to "Opening the Mirror" (from an abstinence) or, also, "Breaking of the Mochi." It traditionally falls on January 11 (odd numbers are associated with being good luck in Japan) It refers to the opening of a Kagami mochi, or to the opening of a cask of Sake at a party or ceremony.
The fourth Tokugawa Shogun was the first one to hold this ceremony 300 years ago. Before going to war he gathered his daimyo in his castle to break open a sake cask. The battle was successful, so from there on a new ceremony was born.
The ceremony nowadays is also performed at weddings, sporting events, opening days at new companies, and other significant events worthy of being celebrated.
In Japan, mochi was traditionally made at home, but most families today buy it ready-made. Over the holidays, a pair of round mochi (kagami mochi) the size of small plates -- one a little larger than the other -- is stacked on a stand and placed in a household Shinto or Buddhist altar or tokonoma as an offering to the deities that visit on New Year's. The ornamental mochi is removed on January 11 and broken into smaller pieces before being eaten.
By this time, the kagami mochi is usually quite brittle, and cracks appear on the surface. The mochi is not cut with a knife, since cutting has negative connotations (cutting off ties) and is instead broken with one's hands or a hammer.
Many Japanese martial arts dojo use the Kagami Biraki ceremony to signify their first practice of the New Year.
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