By RIKAKO TAKAI/ Staff Writer
December 14, 2020 at 18:03 JST
Seihan Mori, chief priest of Kyoto’s Kiyomizudera temple, paints a giant version of the kanji of the year, “mitsu,” at the temple on Dec. 14. (Pool)
KYOTO--Japan has chosen “mitsu" as the kanji of the year, widely cited as part of a social distancing slogan, in a fitting acknowledgement of how the pandemic has held the public at its mercy in 2020.
The Kyoto-based Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation announced Dec. 14 that mitsu was the top vote-getter among 208,025 suggestions received nationwide, with 28,401 votes.
Seihan Mori, chief priest of the famed Kiyomizudera temple here, ceremoniously drew the character with a calligraphy brush on a sheet of traditional “washi” paper measuring 1.5 meters by 1.3 meters to announce the outcome in an annual year-end ritual held at the temple in the city’s Higashiyama Ward.
Government and health officials have used mitsu in a slogan to warn the public of the risks of contracting the novel coronavirus.
The slogan, “avoid sanmitsu” (3-mitsu), also known as the “three Cs,” urges residents to stay away from “confined spaces with poor ventilation, crowded places with many people nearby and close-contact settings such as conversations at close range.”
Many voters cited the pandemic for why the character most accurately described the year's mood, the association said.
Other voters chose the character, which also means secret, citing the fact that a slew of secrets in politics and the entertainment industry were exposed in 2020.
Not all reasons voters gave for choosing the kanji were negative, according to the association.
Some chose mitsu for another one of its meanings, "closeness," saying that the year has allowed them to form an intimate connection with their loved ones.
The runner-up was “ka,” which means epidemic, evil and misfortune, receiving 13,655 votes.
“Yamai,” meaning illness, came in third, with 10,369 votes.
The ceremonial announcement was held at the national treasure-designated Hondo main hall of the temple for the first time in four years.
The annual event was held at a different hall from 2017 to 2019 while the temple underwent roofing work.
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