8’s primary trio stops to pray for the New Year in the hatsumode tradition. Production I.G That series is returning this year, and we’ve already been treated to the first piece in the series.

The cover of the picture book "Picky to Pocky no Haiku Ehon: Oshogatsu no Maki" (Mainichi/Risa Koshiba) "Picky to Pocky no Haiku Ehon: Oshogatsu no Maki," written by Kozaburo Arashiyama and ...

Largely recognised as the beginning of the New Year since the 16th century — when the Gregorian calendar was first adopted — January 1 marks celebrations around the world but the ways are different.

Getting home on New Year's Eve in Tokyo could be tricky. The good news is, some train lines in Greater Tokyo usually add extra late-night services to their timetables in order to accommodate the ...

Tonight many will go to temples or shrines, called “hatsumode.” At Shinto shrines, worshippers arrive from midnight through the next morning to express gratitude and protection for the new year.

Living in Hawaii, the traditions of the local people are so ingrained in many homes and you don’t need to be Japanese to practice many of the customs associated with the New Year.

Come New Year's Eve, Tokyo is usually filled with incredible parties and countdown celebrations. While the countdown event at Shibuya Crossing has been cancelled yet again this year, there are ...

Start the upcoming New Year with a visit to one of Osaka’s recommended shrines for Hatsumode, where you can pray for peace and safety in 2025. 1. Sumiyoshi Taisha (住吉大社): The Main Sumiyoshi Shrine of ...

Meiji Jingū is where Emperor Meiji (1852 – 1912) and Empress Shōken (1849 – 1914) have been enshrined. This distinguished Shinto shrine is a historical building that exudes a calm and solemn dignity ...

This tradition sits alongside others like ‘hatsumode,’ the initial shrine visit of the year, and ‘hatsuhinode,’ witnessing the year’s first sunrise. Hatsu-uri is a much-anticipated event, particularly ...