In the West, people count down the seconds to midnight Dec. 31 and in many cases keep partying into the wee hours, then sleep in. Once the clock strikes 12 in Japan, many people head to temples and shrines, then proceed to make New Year's Day a family occasion.
Following are questions and answers about special things people do at the year's start:
What do people do first thing in the morning on New Year's Day?
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