There are so many ways to celebrate the 2026 New Year in Tokyo, but it's hard to look past spending the time at one of the city's many temples or shrines, some of which even feature the traditional ...

In one of his essays, poet Mokichi Saito (1882-1953) recalled his childhood experience of the Japanese New Year's rite of "hatsumode," the year's first visit to a Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple to ...

Visitors queue to pray for good luck during their hatsumode, or first visit of the year to a shrine or temple, at Kawasaki Daishi temple on Saturday.

What if the way we ring in the New Year is more than just a party Every year, billions of people around the world participate ...

Asakusa's Sensoji Temple is packed with well-wishers on any day, but more so for hatsumode on New Year's Day. Hatsumode is the act of visiting a shrine or temple during the first days of the new year ...

January is one of the most atmospheric months to travel in Japan, when winter landscapes frame centuries-old rituals, New Year traditions, and community festivals across the country. As shrine visits, ...

In Japan, people have a unique way of welcoming the New Year. At the stroke of midnight, the Japanese, who are mostly Buddhists and Shintoists, engage in solemn practices that are rooted in their ...

"Hatsumode" is the custom of visiting a shrine to give the first prayer of the New Year, and this is a very important tradition to many Japanese people. Trains honor this by running longer, into the ...

People go to Senso-ji temple for Hatsumode, or their first temple visit of the year, at Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa area, Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi) People go to Senso-ji temple for ...

As a priest blesses a family, a girl pulls on a rope to ring the suzu bell announcing her family’s presence to the gods. Visitors approach the Hawaii Kotohira Jinsha – Hawaii Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine ...

On 6th January, the "Hatsumode to our library" was held at Japan Foundation Sydney. Lecture by librarian, Mr. Hirohfumi Yada: Hyakunin Isshu. Tosenkyo lecture Listen to SBS Japanese Audio on Tue, Thu ...