Today is shokan (小寒), one of nijyushisekki (二十四節気), the 24 solar terms. The last one was toji (冬至) on December 22, and the next one is daikan (大寒) on January 20.
Shokan (小寒) literally means small cold. It is the time to start getting cold. Today is also kan no iri (寒の入り), literally enter of cold. From today till setsubun (節分) on February 3 is called kan (寒), the cold season.
During the New Year Week, the greeting cards are called nengajo (年賀状), but after that the greeting cards are called kanchu mimai (寒中見舞い), midwinter consolatory letter. They are either late replies for New Year's cards or the greeting cards from those who lost family members in the previous year and could not send the New Year's Cards. Usually those who lost family members send so-called mochu hagaki (喪中ハガキ), literally mourning postcards, from November to December before people mail the New Year's cards.
Today there was the first auction called hatsu seri (初競り) at the Tsukiji Fish Market (築地市場: Tsukiji shijo), the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. The highest price of the tuna today was about yen 16,280,000 for one whole tuna (yen 70,000/kg) from Oma, Aomori (青森県大間産：aomoriken oma san). I had a chance to eat Oma tuna (大間マグロ：oma maguro) this new year, actually they were so delicious. I hope you will have a chance to taste.
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