Hatsumode in Japan
A Happy New Year!
I wish you great success in the New Year!
This time, I'd like to introduce one of the most popular Japanese New Year Events called "Hatsumode" in Japan. Hatsumode is the event to pay our first visit of the year to a Shinto Shrine at New Year's.
So I also visited one of the biggest Shinto shrine "Naritasan" in Aichi prefecture and I enjoyed New Year countdown and Hatsumode! Both were my start of this year!
I took some pictures at that time, and I would like to show some of them on my blog.
This is the beginning picture and I took it on the approach to Naritasan at 23:30 in December 31st, 2006. The shrine is on the mountain, so we went up the stairs to the center of the shrine.
I took the picture at midnight, but there were a lot of people to go the shrine.
There is a Shinto shrine at the top of the stairs, and it was so crowded in front of the building of the shrine. The time, I was really lucky…because, I was in front of the building and it wasn't on the stairs in this year!
Suddenly some of the people started the countdown before the New Year and they prayed and returned. So we could move closer! 
After countdown, everybody started to move to the front of the shrine, and then prayed.
In my case, my wishes are different every year and it depends on my situation. I'll try that my wish will be true in this year.
Finally, I would add a supplementary explanation. There are a lot of people praying at Hatsumode in Japan. But, most of them aren't pious believer in Shinto, and they prayed. So, the fact depends on Japanese culture.
If you are interested in the fact, you can read this homepage.
Religion in Japan
4 comments:
This is very interesting, because I think of the Japanese as a very secular people. To whom are they praying?
happy new year!
I realy miss Japan especially about Oshougatsu! I couldn't feel "new years eve & new years day" because I didn't have Soba or Osechi or even Ozouni. Actually I usually don't eat Soba though, I miss Japanese custom like Hatsumoude...
>Ian
It depends on Japanese customs, and we don't mind who we're praying to at New Year.
So we just pray to some gods for our good fortune.
If there are any shrine or temple, we just pray. So, it wouldn't depend on any religions.
>Saki
I can understand what you're writing on. I also felt same as you when I was in Canada at New Year.
But you can enjoy your Canadian life in this year, so it'll give great experiences to you!
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