Culture | December 28, 2008 | 1 comment

New Year’s Eve At A Japanese Shrine in Tokyo

source: http://samuraidave.wordpress.com/2006/12/30/new-years-eve-at-a-japanese-shrine-in-tokyo/

Image
SamuraiDave
Around the New Years, many Japanese head to shrines and temples to do hatsumode - New Years Prayer - for health and good luck for the new year. Meiji Shrine in Tokyo gets more than a million visitors over the New Years week.
  1. groups:
    Culture,   Events and Festivals
  2. tags:
    Culture,  Japan,  Holidays,  Tokyo,  3 more
  3.     
    |

1 comment // New Year’s Eve At A Japanese Shrine in Tokyo

  • imissjapan
    • 0
      imissjapan  

    • We were just in Tokyo visiting. And we went to the Meiji shrine on New Year's Eve. Before midnight, somehow (I won't say how exactly we did it), we were able to follow a small group (VIPs?) of about 40 well-dressed people, who came out of a small building (a small temple?) on the side not too far from the Meiji shrine. They were escorted right INTO the Meiji shrine courtyard while millions of people were waiting outside the courtyard. The group formed two lines along the two sides of the courtyard facing the shrine. We witnessed the blessing (of a large tree leaf which I was sure had important significance since the 40 VIPs bowed at it. Please someone explain to me what it was) by two priests. We also saw the two priests walking slowly on the steps inside the shrine towards the top of the shrine. There was also singing (of the Japan national anthem? Please confirm that to me). And we witnessed the hitting of the big drum right at midnight. Followed by the praying of about 10 men in suits (guess they were politicians?) inside the shrine. Was the PM there? Sorry we didn't know what he looked like. Then it was our (the 40 or so VIPs and us) turn to pray inside the shrine. The VIPs (and us) were then escorted to a structure (another shrine? or temple?) on the side of the main shrine. They were taking off their shoes on a red carpet before entering that structure. But we didn't follow them to it and we left. It was a very special and spiritual and sacred moment and we really felt lucky and privileged to be among the 40 or so VIPs who had special and first access to the shrine on New Year's at midnight. Please kindly explain the meanings of what happened to us that night with the VIPs to me. And who were those VIPs? Why did they have special and first access to the shrine on New Year's Eve? From what we saw, it seemed to us the millions of people waiting outside the shrine were not allowed to be inside the courtyard of the shrine at all, let alone the shrine itself. They were just passing through the OUTSIDE of the courtyard. Why weren't they allowed to be inside like the VIPs? Thanks!

    • 3 years ago
more from Culture:
from the community

top videos