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O-shōgatsu

Japanese New Year January 1st

Shortly before midnight on New Year’s Eve, Buddhist priests appear carrying paper lanterns. Trickles at first, then streams, then rivers of people enter through the sacred gate and follow the priests into the temple. The smell of incense, the sounds of chanting and a large bell fill the air. All over Japan, families and friends are performing Hatsumodé—the year’s first worship at Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines to pray for good health and happiness. The New Year celebration is a joyous time that lasts several days. Special foods are prepared, debts are paid, houses are cleaned and decorations are hung to welcome back the Gods.

Purify your hands in the stone basin.

Pull the rope to ring the bell.

Make an offering, if you wish.

Bow twice.

Clap twice.

Bow once more.

The first temple visit is a good time to pray for special favors in the year ahead. Here’s how to pay respects to the Gods:

After praying, people shop for symbols of good luck and protection.

People stand in line to ring out the 108 kinds of desire (who knew there were so many?) on New Year’s Eve.

Children love colorful masks of cartoon and folklore characters.