Praying At Shrines On New Year's Day (2005-01-01)
Japanese people like to go to the shrines to pray on New Year's Day, a tradition known as Hatsumoude. Many go there when the clock strikes past midnight on December 31st. Since we moved to our current apartment, we have been going to the neighborhood Myohoji shrine at the first hour of January 1st. We like to see the locals wait in long line to get inside the shrine to say their wishes for the New Year, it's fun to join the crowds and feel the atmosphere there.
It snowed quite heavily again on new Year's Eve (the first in 21
years in Tokyo), so we went to Myohoji Shrine yesterday afternoon to
take a few photos of the snow-covered temple. On our way back home,
several people were out on the streets shoveling snow and kids were
building snowman and hurling snow balls at each other, it was fun just
to watch them. Our nextdoor neighbor also built a "cat snowman"
and put it in front of their door, I thought it was the
best-looking snow creation I ever saw. I also tried to make one
myself but it turned out looking more like a monster than what I had in
mind. I'm just hopeless in doing anything creative.
KL and I went back to Myohoji around midnight and it was packed. Like any events that draw crowds, food vendors were out selling grilled squids, stir-fried noodles and what have you. I never prayed at the Shrine all the past years we were there on New Year's Day, but I made an exception this year. I prayed for the survivors of the tsunamis and also prayed for good news in 2005, and definitely no more freaking natural disasters.
PS: Click here to see a short clip of part of the Hatsumoude ritual where locals strike a bell after they say their prayers and wishes in the shrine. The chanting nosie in the background is from the man in the kimono shown in one of the pictures.
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