photo by wikipedia
A pair of ornaments of plants are called Kadomatsu.
Kadomatsu, Shimenawa-Kazari and Kagami-Mochi are traditional important New Year ornaments.
Kadomatsu and Shimenawa-Kazari have similar role and very meaningful.
After winter solstice, Japanese people set the items in proper places until January 7-15.
Single Kadomatsu is useless.
A pair of Kadomatsu is effective as a blocker or trap.
It avoids evil spirits from outside.
Kadomatsu needs thorns plants like pine tree or cut bamboo.
Evil spirits hate thorns indeed.
Holly tree fence around a house is also good.
Bad spirits always want to interrupt human's life or cling to someone because of their sad situation.
They can enter into a house very easily or come with human.
Also, there are many fixed ghosts. They can't move there.
Also, something red things is good for Kadomatsu.
Red color things in entrance is really effective.
Evil spirits hate red things too.
Wreath is almost Japanese Shimenawa-Kazari.
Same effect is it has real plants.
After exhibition, Kadomatsu and Shimenawa-Kazari must be disposed at Shinto shrine.
Most big shrines accept New Year ornaments trash and used Ofuda for Kamidana.
Shrine priests burn them at shrine and it is called Donto-yaki(Dondo-yaki) ceremony.
If you don't have Shinto shrines in your neighborhood,
please dispose New Year's ornaments as a garbage by January 15.
Don't burn the ornaments in your garden or property
because these are dirty.
Especially, Shimenawa-kazari absorbs bad things so much.
Instead of kadomatsu I bought a pair of plants pot at Rite aid pharmacy 3.99 each.
Entrance of Mitsuwa, Japanese Super Market.
These are not effective because entrance for human is not there.
