History
Prior to the Meiji Period, the date of the Japanese New Year was based on the Chinese lunar calendar, as are the contemporary Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese New Years. However, in 1873, five years after the Meiji Restoration, Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar and the first day of January became the official and cultural New Year's Day. In the Ryukyu Islands, a separate cultural New Year is still celebrated based on the Chinese lunar calendar.
Read more about this topic: Japanese New Year
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