But what these explanations share is the same core idea: Shiwasu has long been understood not as “just December,” but as a special period devoted to closing out the year. In other words, the term is more than a seasonal label. For many Japanese people, December is consciously felt as a time to “finish the year.”

Walking through the urban areas ofThe fact that many of these establishments are managed by Nepalese might seem intriguing at first glance.