Japanese New Year Temple Traditions
It is a buddhist tradition of banging the temple bell 108 times to welcome the new year.
Japanese new year temple traditions. Many well known temples and shrines are extremely crowded. Oji station is a unique way to welcome the new year. The oji fox parade access.
Many visit on the first second or third day of the year as most are off work on those days. It does not mean you have to visit temple or shrine only on january 1st but also 2nd and january 3rd. Discover both modern and traditional japanese new year s traditions.
After washing your hands in the purified water fan the smoke from the incense onto the top of your head before entering the temple. The first visit to a temple or shrine in a year is called hatsumoude. Around midnight on new year s eve you may hear bells peal in the tranquil sky monotonously for about 1 2 hours.
People pray for safety health good fortune and so on. No matter where you live you can probably hear the sound of the bells as temples are in many neighborhoods. There are tens of thousands of shrines and temples across japan and almost every single one holds hatsumode.
The word hatsumode refers to visit the first shrine or temple of the japanese new year. Some people visit a buddhist temple instead. Joya no kane is the only desirable loud sound on new year s eve.
At a popular shrine or temple you can see a huge crowd of people waiting patiently in long lines to. Generally wishes for the new year are made new omamori charms or amulets are bought and the old ones are returned to the shrine so they can be burned. It s the capital s oldest and arguably most popular temple as every year countless japanese and international tourists flock to snap pictures and pray.