New Years in Japan

        On New Years and the days that follow, thousands of people visit the shrines in Japan hoping to get a blessing for the new year.  This year we went since none of us girls had seen what many people in Japan do on New Years Day.

         We drove for about an hour to get to downtown Kobe.  Arriving near the first shrine we found a parking place, then walked.   There were so many people moving slowly in a long line towards the shrine.  I was amazed and kind of sad to see so many people going, most of them not really knowing what they were doing spiritually.  We moved along with the crowd through the entrance gate, past rows of food sellers, past the lines of chicken wire where people would attach prayer requests, and up to the shrine.

 People tying on their prayer requests.

     We broke off to the right and went around into a side entrance.  A Shinto priest was droning in the background, a group of people stood behind him solemnly.

People came, threw in money, and prayed. 

    We left the building and went around the back.  There were more places to pray, more food, trinkets, charms stands, and more people.  There was also a lovely garden with several huge old trees, little streams and ponds, and little wooden buildings for sitting in the shade.  Pigeons strutted about.   Precisely trimmed trees waved gently in the wind.  Fish danced in the pond.

       Leaving that shrine we then went to another one nearby.   This one was even more packed but similar.  We didn't go up to the shrine building because there were too many people slowly moving toward it.  In a side walkway we found lots more food and game stalls, trinkets and charms stands.

Noodles or fried meat anyone?

 

Man roasting chestnuts.  I had never seen that before.

Accessories and games.

        It was hard to believe that people actually pray to just a statue, or throw in their money and hope to be blessed.  But I saw it.  In the shrine grounds was a little shrine with a little stone idol.  We watched as several people went up, tossed some money in, shook the thick cord ringing the bell, clapped their hands, and bowed their heads.  I was thinking, 'Are they actually praying to that statue? Can they really think that a little piece of stone will help them?'

       It was definitely an interesting experience seeing so many people praying, eating, buying, and selling.  It also made me sad though, to see all those intelligent people simply going with the flow, not really thinking about what they were doing, just following tradition.   Everyone wants a blessing and hope, but most people don't know where to get it so they end up wandering around in darkness until someone will show them the light. Let us shine with God's light more and show people the real way!

 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden." (Matthew 5:14)