December

New Years in Japan is laser-focused on firsts. You have your first sunrise of the year, which is very important, and other firsts like the Shinnenkai parties to bring in the New Year. There are also the “first sales” of the year where retailers put out goods at bargain prices. Personally, I like the sales but easily the most important of these New Year’s rituals is hatsumode. Hatsumode is the first visit of the year to a shrine. Sometimes temples will suffice, but traditionally the temple is for ringing out the year. Sometimes, this can be literal, as you can hear people ringing temple bells all night on December 31. You can make your first trip to a shrine at any time of the year, but the best and most fun time is during the first three days of the year, starting at midnight on the first. You can visit your local neighborhood shrine, but generally, the bigger shrines will have events, performances, charms for sale, and even food stalls set up to enjoy the visit. Truly, going to the right shrine for Hatsumode can equal the experience of some of the best summer festivals. With all this said, we…