RasyaA post on my experience celebrating Eid in Japan.
To all Muslims, happy Eid Mubarak! It was no surprise that from yesterday, all my social media timeline are filled with everyone’s photos donning beautiful Eid outfits and delicious traditional Malay cuisines. My thumb finger is tired from pressing like all day and wishing everyone Happy Eid Mubarak. I’ve shared on my Ramadan experience in Japan before so today I’m going to share my experience celebrating Eid in Japan.
Take all of my likes guys
But wait, what is Eid?
Eid or Eid al Fitr is the 10th month in the Islamic calendar, a month after Ramadan, the fasting month. For Muslims, Eid al Fitr is the biggest holiday/festival. We celebrated our win in Ramadan from battling ourselves physically and spiritually.
RasyaHow Malaysians celebrated Eid
2-3 months before Eid, Malaysian already making preparation to celebrate Eid, such as Eid outfits, kuih raya aka traditional Malaysian cookies or desserts etc. In my family, my mom prefers to custom made all of our Eid outfits and would set a matching theme colour every year. I think I’ve worn most colours except black because my mom said it would be hot and sweaty.
I dug all of my old photos and I found 2 photos during Eid, one with the red colour theme and one with the yellow colour theme. To be honest, I hate wearing bright colours and once complained it to my dad but in my family,
Mum is always right,
by Dad
3-4 days before Eid, people would rush to go back to either mother/father sides’ hometown (read:balik kampung) The cities would be empty and the highway road congested. I’m glad that I’m not the one driving.
Image from source
Highway during Eid holiday peak.
On the last Ramadan night, everyone would prepare for the eid dishes together or playing fireworks. And, in Eid morning, we would wear pretty new clothes, asking for forgiveness from family and relatives while asking for the highlight, duit raya! aka money given by the adults. Basically, our version of Chinese angpow tradition.
Image from source
Asking for duit raya
After eating a light breakfast, we would go to the mosque, pray together and visit relatives’ tombstones as this is the only chance to do so because not everyone could freely visit their hometown every month to visit the dead.
Some famous open house dishes. Yummy!
We also have open house tradition where relatives and friends, would visit each other homes to eat, eat and eat. Plus some typical Asian style conversation starter pack.
‘When would you get married?’
‘How many A’s do you get for your exam’
‘You get fat ah! Need to lose weight if not no one would want you’
Excuse me as hide myself in obscurity
My experience celebrating Eid in Japan
In Japan, the Eid celebration is not as festive as in Malaysia but the Embassy, mosque or Islamic Centre would hold a gathering on Eid morning.
I’ve never personally attended any of the gatherings because
- Too far
When I was a student, I live in Himeji and the nearest mosque is an hour ride train away and I couldn’t bring myself to wake up early.
- Class/Exam
- Work
I plan to take a 1 day off on the first Eid but I had a presentation that day *unlucky * so after work, I went to eat some ramen and had myself an Oreo McFlurry.
Thank God, there are still Malaysia/Muslim communities in Japan who held an open house and I went to one last weekend. I managed to fill my stomach with delicious food and met cute crying babies.
One of the babies that I met. Look at her arms, guys! So cute!
So how was everyone’s Eid? Still got duit raya? And to others, how was your weekend?
10 comments
Hi Rasya! I think this might be one of my favorite posts of yours — even though I don’t celebrate Eid, for some reason I could relate to so many of your experience, e.g. the Asian conversation starter pack. “You get fat ah!” and “Aiyah you got so much skinnier!” is literally what I hear every time I visit my relatives in Hong Kong. I also can’t believe how congested the highways look! That must be insane to experience. Also, the photos of you when you were younger wearing the traditional Eid clothing are so adorable! Your mom is so amazing for being able to hand-make all that clothing. 🙂
Glad to hear that your Eid celebration went wonderfully!
Yep. lol. My relatives always remind me how I get fat every time we met. Oops, my mom bought the materials but asked the tailor to make it lol. We don’t even have a sewing machine in my house.
How are your relatives in Hong Kong? I heard the situation has gone bad these past days.