Shogatsu refers to the first several days of a calendar year and, from a cultural viewpoint, an event to celebrate passing of the previous year, which was uneventful, and the new year.
正月（しょうがつ）とは、各暦の年の始めの数日間のことで、文化的には昨年が無事に終わったことと、新しい年を祝う行事である。