Happy New Year to all our readers! We hope you enjoyed your Shogatsu with family and friends and are ready to kick off 2020 refreshed and determined.
According to the Chinese zodiac 2020 is the year of the rat. While this sounds unappealing to most Westerners, in actuality, in Chinese culture the rat is seen as a sign of wealth and abundance. Actresses Scarlett Johansson and Gwyneth Paltrow are both rats. Also, due to rats’ prolific birth rate, couples wishing to be blessed with children might offer prayers to them. People born in the year of the rat are said to be active, optimistic, and liked by all.
Chinese New Year kicks off on Saturday, January 25th. As usual, Yokohama Chinatown, Japan’s most expansive, will be a hive of celebratory activity during the two weeks of festivities. You don’t have to be born in the year of the rat to join in on the fun, but bringing along a friend who is may be worthwhile. They are, after all, a symbol of wealth.