Monthly Archive: January, 2021

Out with the dust, in with the new | Penn Today

Oosouji, the traditional New Year's cleaning, begins in mid-December in Japan. (Image: jet dela cruz on Unsplash)
Oosouji, the traditional New Year’s cleaning, begins in mid-December in Japan. (Image: jet dela cruz on Unsplash)

“The idea, very generally, is that daily life pollutes the environment and pollutes you—not just physically, but also metaphysically and spiritually,” says Penn’s Ayako Kano, professor of Japanese studies. “Every once in a while, you need to clean it out and purify in order to welcome the deities of the new year.”