Onii-chan! It’s New Year’s Eve! (≧∇≦)
Yep, 2025 is coming to an end.
Hey hey, Onii-chan, I just realized something! (´∀`)
What’s up?
The “misoka” in “omisoka” means “thirty,” right?
It’s the same “miso” as in “misoji” (thirty years old) — it literally means the number 30!
Yeah, that’s right.
So why is today the 31st?! (ﾟ∀ﾟ)
“Misoka” is written as “thirty days” but December has 31 days, y’know?
The name and reality don’t match at ALL! (≧∇≦)
The True Identity of “Misoka”
True… How did that happen?
I looked it up! ♪
Back in the old lunar calendar days, the last day of the month was usually the 30th.
So “the last day of the month” = “misoka (30th)” made total sense! (´∀`)
The lunar calendar was based on moon phases, so months were 29 or 30 days.
Exactly!
But then Japan switched to the solar calendar, and suddenly months had 28, 30, or 31 days — super random, right?
So “misoka” stopped meaning “the 30th day” and became just “the last day of the month”! (´∪`)
The meaning shifted over time.
Yep yep!
So today is December 31st but we still call it “misoka.”
The “thirty” meaning is totally gone, only “last day” remains! (≧∇≦)
The Secret of “晦” (Tsugomori)
Oh oh, there’s another kanji for “misoka” too!
「晦」 can be read as “misoka” or “tsugomori”! (´∀`)
“Tsugomori”?
It comes from “tsukigomori” — meaning “the moon hides”!
Since the lunar calendar was based on moon phases, the moon would disappear near the end of the month.
“Moon hiding” → “tsukigomori” → “tsugomori”! (´∪`)
So it comes from an astronomical phenomenon.
Right right!
So “omisoka” literally means “the last day of the year when the moon hides”! ♪
…But Onii-chan, can you see the moon tonight? (ﾟ∀ﾟ)
It’s not a new moon today, so probably yes…
See~?
It’s called “the day the moon hides” but the moon is totally visible! (≧∇≦)
Another mismatch between name and reality~♪
New Year’s Eve Trivia
Since we’re on the topic, lemme share some New Year’s Eve fun facts! ♪
Oh, nice.
Fact 1: In the old days, New Year’s Eve dinner was already the first meal of the new year!
In the lunar calendar, a new day started at sunset. So when you ate dinner on New Year’s Eve, it was technically already the new year! (ﾟ∀ﾟ)
Wow, totally different sense of time.
Fact 2: In the Edo period, staying up all night on New Year’s Eve was normal!
There was a belief that “the longer you stay awake, the longer you’ll live,” so people would stay up all night! (´∀`)
Nowadays people just doze off watching TV.
Ehehe~, I might curl up in a kotatsu too (〃´∪｀〃)
Fact 3: The temple bell ringing came from China in the Kamakura period!
They ring it 108 times to cleanse 108 worldly desires! ♪
…I think I have way more than 108 though (≧∇≦)
How many do you have?
I wanna eat inari sushi, I wanna eat kitsune udon, I wanna sit on Onii-chan’s lap, I want my tail fluffed…
Too many to count! (ﾟ∀ﾟ)
But Today IS “Thirty Days” After All
So basically, “misoka” doesn’t mean “thirty” anymore?
Yep, that’s the common interpretation.
But y’know what, Onii-chan…
I just realized something (´∀`)
What?
Today is December 31st, right?
But while we’ve been chatting…
30 minutes, 30 seconds, 30 milliseconds… lots of “thirties” have passed! (≧∇≦)
Huh?
Time contains SO many “thirties”!
30 seconds, 30 minutes, 30 hours worth of memories…
Today has countless “misokas” hidden inside it! (ﾟ∀ﾟ)
That’s kinda a stretch, isn’t it?
Ehehe~, you got me (´∪`)
Okay okay, one more!
Today is December 31st, but it’s the 365th day from January 1st, 2025, right?
If you divide that…
365 ÷ 12 ≒ 30.4 (≧∇≦)
So the average days per month is about 30!
So “omisoka” means “the last day of months that average around thirty days”…
That’s totally sophistry.
Uuu… you caught me (〃´∪｀〃)
Oh well!
Once the new year comes, everyone forgets about word contradictions anyway (≧∇≦)♪
Happy New Year
So yeah, today I explored the etymology of “misoka”! (´∀`)
“Misoka” = “thirty” but the meaning shifted to “last day”
“Tsugomori” = “moon hides” but the moon is visible today
“Thirty days” but today is the 31st
None of the names match reality! (ﾟ∀ﾟ)
But everyone just says “omisoka” without questioning it~♪
Words are surprisingly flexible.
Right right!
Words change, and contradictions are totally accepted! (≧∇≦)
You don’t “pound” the fish in “tataki” anymore,
And “thirty days” can be the 31st!
Fossilized words are still alive and kicking~ (´∀`)
Makes sense.
Onii-chan, thank you for 2025!
Let’s have another great year together! ♪
Happy New Year~ (≧∇≦)♪
Happy New Year.
…Oh wait, Onii-chan.
You said “Happy New Year” but the year hasn’t changed yet, right?
That’s another mismatch between name and… (ﾟ∀ﾟ)
Okay, enough.
Ehehe~♪ (〃´∪｀〃)