New Year’s is the most celebrated holiday in Japan with the long-standing tradition of visiting a Buddhist temple at midnight.
The Buddhist monks offer prayers through their chants and strike a bell 108 times to rid us of the 108 human sins and evil desires.
Outside, people queued to strike this bell (once per person) as a symbolic connection to the ceremony.
Less than seven hours later, it was time to see the first sunrise of the year, another Japanese tradition.
Prayers during the glow of the first morning light bring good fortune.
Visiting a Shinto shrine early in a new year is also important.
Meiji Shrine in Tokyo receives about 10 million visitors a year, and 3 million of them come during the first week of January. It is the most popular shrine in Japan.
People queue for hours…
… wash their hands and take a small drink of water…
… and then offer their prayers, or Hatsumode.
They toss some money…
… clap twice and pray for a prosperous new year.
Just past the shrine, people write prayers on wooden ‘ema’ slivers…
… and hang them here.
An Omikuji fortune for the year is obtained for 100 yen. After a good shake of the box, a wooden stick is selected which corresponds to your fortune.
There are six levels of fortune ranging from very good to very bad. My fortune was second best and encouraged me to not be envious, to refuse conflict, and to keep smiling.
Bad fortunes are tied here (to leave them behind), and good fortunes are typically carried in the wallet.
Omamori, or good luck charms, are readily available. Each charm has a specific mission, including health for family, good business, traffic accident avoidance, to pass an exam or find a partner.
Hamaya, or “demon-breaking arrow,” wards off misfortune and attracts good luck.
2016 is the Year of the Monkey in the Chinese Zodiac, which is also recognized in Japan. If you were born in 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968, 1956, 1944, 1932, 1920, or 1908, then you are curious, clever and mischievous (a practical joker). You are also inventive and able to solve difficult problems with ease.
Just outside the shrine, the Christians were in full recruitment mode. They lined the entrance to Meiji Shrine with ‘come to Jesus’ messages blaring from loudspeakers in Japanese.
This Buddhist temple sits in the heart of Tokyo…
…which is flanked by Ojizousan statues. Red caps show thanks for protecting a child from illness, or to protect a child in the afterlife.
Fortunes and good luck symbols of the previous year are burned. Out with old, in with the new.
Entrances to many homes and buildings are decorated with a pine and bamboo kadomatsu, to welcome the Shinto gods. It expresses the desire to obtain virtue and strength to overcome adversity.
The post office is extremely busy on January 1st. They hire extra help to assure the New Year’s Day postcard arrives on New Year’s Day.
Traditional food at new year’s is buckwheat soba noodles and mochi rice cakes (pictured) for a long life.
But my personal highlight of the new year started here on January 2nd…
…where I joined a queue with tens of thousands of people.
The Imperial Palace is only opened to visitors twice a year (the Emperor’s birthday, and for his new year’s message).
Here’s a sign that wasn’t required only a few years ago.
As we crossed the bridge, looking to the left we see the palace grounds…
… and looking to the right, we see the Tokyo skyline.
The throng moves patiently closer…
… and once inside the courtyard, we stand and wait 30 minutes.
Then with a flurry of flag waving…
…the Imperial family appears.
In his annual new year’s greeting, 82 year old Emperor Akihito said: “From the start of this New Year, I pray for peace for our nation and for the world.”
The Japanese monarchy is the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world with 125 monarchs dating back to 660 BC.
His speech lasted 2 minutes, which was followed by a minute of waving, and then it was over.
Yes, we queued for more than an hour to get 3 minutes with the Emperor, but it was worth it. Thousands more were ready to enter behind us (the Emperor repeated his message five times that day).
Jumping ahead to January 11th, the second Monday of the new year is a national holiday.
Seijin-shiki is a coming-of-age ceremony. Everyone who turns 20 years old between April 2015 and March 2016 participates. This is the age when people are considered adults (and the legal drinking age).
This tradition dates back to the year 714, but the official holiday began in 1948 with the focus on children as the future. Typically, everyone gathers at the city hall where the mayor or senior government official makes a speech. Attendees receive a gift (a dictionary, for example).
The men where dark suits, but the women go all-out, spending about 100,000 yen ($850 USD) for the kimono and accessories.
Since they will likely wear the kimono only once, most kimonos are rentals (single girls wear long sleeves, and once married, will switch to short sleeves).
Finally, in the early-morning sun of mid-January, we visited Mt. Fuji (which included Kayla’s college friend, Lea).
The majestic mountain dominates the landscape…
… providing a spectacular show at sunset.
There’s a glimpse of new year’s traditions in Japan. I hope your year is off to a good start. ts
Ukrainian Tom 