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New Year’s Day is the biggest event in Japan. Most stores and companies are closed on New Year’s Day and families would gather to spend time together. There are many traditional that what we do for New Year’s Day like eating mochi (rice cakes) and Hatsumode. Hatsumode means the first visit to Shinto shrine of the year.

Many people go to Hatsumode during the first three days of the year, especially the very first day, to make wishes for health and happiness. Usually, Shinto shrines open during day time but the shrines would open night time on New Year’s Eve and some people go to shrines soon after the clock ticked.

What People Do at Hatsumode?

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People usually go to Hatsumode with their family or friends. Some famous shrines like Meiji Jingu in Tokyo has worshipers of more than 2 million at Hatsumode. If you go to Hatsumode at famous shrine, you are expected to line up for more than an hour in order to get in.


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People buy new talismans and charms at Hatsumode and return old ones to shrine. Many people also draw Omikuji, written fortune, to know their fortune for the new year. Recently some big shrines have Omikuji in English for non-Japanese so everyone can participate. If you get Omikuji written good fortune you take it home and keep as charms. If you get one with bad fortune you should tie it to a designated area in the shrine. That way you can change your destiny.


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People also offer Ema, pictorial offering. People write their wish on woodn bord and and offer to Shrine. That way the wish will be come true.

At Hatsumode, many shrine would also have food stands for snacks and hot drink. If you go to Hatsumode, I recommend you to eat here. Japanese believe that if you eat food near shrine, you get power from gods and they will help you to fulfill your wishes.

Which Shrine to VIsit?

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If you have the chance to be in Japan on new year season, I recommend you to visit shrine to experience the atmosphere of Hatsumode. There are some famous Hatsumode spots. As I mentioned before, Meiji Jingu in Tokyo is the most popular Hatsumode spot in Japan. Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Taisha and Osaka’s Sumiyoshi Taisha are also famous Hatsumode spots. Tsuruoka Hachimangu in Kamakura, Atsuta Jingu in Aichi prefecture and Dazaihu Tenmangu in Fukuoka prefecture are also some of the most popular spots in Japan.

Isejingu

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I also recommend Isejingu which is the most sacred shrine among thousands of Shinto shrines in Japan. It is dedicated to the sun goddess, Amaterasu-omikami and she is the major goddess of Shinto. Isejingu is not just a shrine but it refers to a group of 125 shrines around Ise area. Geku and Naiku are the main spots to visit.


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There are many souvenir shops in front of Naiku at Isejingu and the shopping street is called Okage Yokocho. You can enjoy atmosphere of old Japanese town and while eating traditional snacks like Dango (sweet rice dumpling)

To Go Local Shrines Might be Better Idea

There are also thousands of shrines in Japan. You can find Shinto shrine everywhere in Japan. Many local shrines also have Hatsumode festival on first three days of New Year.

To be honest, I recommend you to go to local shrines for Hatsumode. If you go to the famous Hatsumode spot, it is so crowded and you can hardly move. I have been to some famous shrines on Sunday of later part of January. I found myself on traffic jams on the way to shrines and it took a long time until I got to pray. So you can imagine how crowded it would be on the first few days of New Year.

If you want to go to famous spots, go there on weekday after first three days. So you can still feel atmosphere of Hatsumode with a less crowded environment.