Omisoka

Omisoka is the last day of the year: the 31st of december.
On that day the Japanese gathered in family get ready to welcome the new year. They clean their house from top to bottom (susu harai), put their things in order then install the New Year's day's decorations.
A kadomatsu is placed on each side of the front door.
This decoration made of pine's branches (pine is a symbol of longevity, prosperity and purity), of bamboo and of straw is said to have the power to attract good fortune inside the house.
Above the front door one hangs a shimekazari,
a decoration which indicates a purified place to welcome the new year's divinities (toshigami), and which, according to a popular belief, has the power to bring happiness and to ward off the bad spirits.
In the evening, after having swallowed their toshikoshi soba (buckwheat noodles supposed to ensure longevity and prosperity), tens of millions of Japanese go to the temple or the shrine of their choice in order to make an offering to the buddhist or shinto divinities and to let them know their wishes for the year to come.
At midnight, in all buddhist temples, the bell (bonsho) is rung 108 times to announce the new year.
The number 108 represents all the bad desires with which the man is afflicted. These 108 sins are materialized on the top of the bell by 108 redans.
According to a buddhist belief, the 108 bell's strokes (joya no kane) ringing around buddhist temples in the New Year's day's night have the power to liberate human beings from all their baser instincts...
In the middle of the night each Japanese finally falls asleep thinking of a good portent like Fuji San...