Thanks to the Madhouse relocation, I was able to enjoy a longer holiday period this year. I spent the days mostly catching up and organizing things I had been neglecting, and at the same time enjoying what Japan has to offer on New Year's Day. I left the apartment around 11:30pm on New Year's Eve to go to the neighborhood temple. The people were standing in line there to strike the bell (for a fee) in order to wash away their sins for the year. I've been coming to this temple for the past couple of years after I gave up fighting the crowds at larger, more famous temples. The local crowd here is small enough to allow the visitors enjoy a serene moment as the bells let out a deep "bong" sound.

There is a bonfire at the temple (shown in the photo) in which the old sotoba are burned. Sotoba are long wooden boards inscribed with the names of deceased individuals and the names of the gods they believed in, as well as various prayers. These are used to honor the dead.

After spending some time at the temple, I hurried to the nearby shrine to arrive before midnight. There, a line of people waited patiently until the taiko drums signaled the arrival of the new year. The people took turns tossing a coin, tugging on the ropes attached to the bells, and wishing for peace and prosperity. I found out a couple of years ago that this shrine was established back in the late 1400's. The deity worshipped is Izanami no Mikoto, a female deity of creation and death. But, the shrine itself was initially famous for curing...toothaches. The new charm I bought had nothing to do with toothaches (nor did I see any items that had anything to do with teeth) but I'm hoping it'll bring me good luck anyway. The omikuji oracle said I am going to have a spectacular year, even though I'm supposed to be entering a cycle of bad fortune according to Chinese astrology. I guess I'll find out soon enough.

Happy New Year to all of you! Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu!