New Year’s Eve At A Japanese Shrine in Tokyo
New Year’s Eve at Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine
Visitors brave the cold and sometimes snow for New Year’s blessings

Entrance Torii Gate to Meiji Shrine
Every year around the New Year, millions of Japanese visit temples and shrines to pray for health and good fortune for the coming year.

Crowd of visitors braving the cold weather
Typically Buddhist temples are visited on New Year’s Eve and Shinto shrines on New Year’s Day. With Meiji Shrine in Harajuku, Tokyo, thousands of visitors descend close to the midnight hour to get a jump start on getting in their New Year blessings.

A Snow-topped Chozuya for washing one’s hands and mouth
Meiji Shrine enshrines the spirit of the Emperor Meiji (1852-1912) and his wife, Empress Shoken (1850-1914) and was constructed in 1920. It was burned down in the air raids of WWII and rebuilt in 1958. Unlike the ostentatious Toshogo Shrine in Nikko, Meiji Shrine in Yoyogi Park is simple and austere in the traditional style of Shinto architecture.

Visitors washing their hands and mouth with cold water
Two years ago a small snowstorm deposited several centimeters of snow on New Year’s Eve bringing the temperature down quite low. Still in the hour before midnight, Yoyogi Park was filled with visitors willing to risk the cold in order to pray for good health for next year – though staying at home probably would have been more effective for that.

Crowds gathered at a Torii gate awaiting entrance
The police cordoned us off into separate small hordes and escorted us one slow agonizing step at a time.

The gatehouse to Meiji Shrine all lit up
When they at long last reached the main shrine, people would throw coins then clap their hands together and pray.

Hordes of visitors pray for a good New Year’s
From there visitors exit the main compound where they can stock up on good luck charms sold at the shrine’s stalls. Wooden prayer boards called ema can be purchased with the year’s animal painted on one side. Purchasers will write on the back their hopes and wishes and leave them at the shrine.

Visitors exiting the main shrine compound
Meiji Shrine is a great place to visit early for New Year’s Eve but if you come late don’t expect a free champagne toast while you’re waiting in line.

Shrine workers selling New Year’s charms

Hot food for a cold night
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