On January 1st, an estimated 100 million Japanese people — nearly the entire population — visit a shrine or temple in the first three days of the new year. This ritual, called hatsumode (初詣), is Japan's most universally observed tradition, cutting across religious affiliations and generations.
When and Where
The most dedicated visitors arrive at midnight on December 31st/January 1st for the first seconds of the new year — lines at major shrines like Meiji Jingu (Tokyo), Naritasan Shinshoji Temple (Chiba), and Fushimi Inari (Kyoto) stretch for hours. More practically, any time during January 1–3 constitutes proper hatsumode. Major shrines are crowded through January 7th (matsunouchi); quieter visits are possible after that through late January.
What to Do
The process at a Shinto shrine: purify your hands at the temizuya (water basin) by ladling water over each hand. Approach the offering box, throw a coin (five-yen coins, pronounced go-en, are considered lucky because the word also means "connection"). Ring the bell if present. Bow twice deeply, clap twice, bow once more. Offer your prayer silently. This sequence — ni-rei, ni-hakushu, ichi-rei — is standard at most shrines. At Buddhist temples, the approach is similar but without the clapping.
Omamori and Omikuji
Omamori (amulets) are sold at shrine booths — small fabric pouches containing blessings for specific purposes: traffic safety, good health, academic success, love. Old omamori from the previous year are returned to the shrine at hatsumode to be ritually burned (dondo-yaki fire). Omikuji (fortune papers) are drawn randomly from a box — the fortune levels range from dai-kichi (great blessing) through kichi (blessing) to kyo (curse). If you draw a bad fortune, tie it to a pine tree or designated rack at the shrine to leave the bad luck behind.
Food Stalls
Hatsumode at major shrines is surrounded by food stalls (yatai) selling all the classics: amazake, yakisoba, takoyaki, taiyaki, hot corn, and oden. Eating while visiting the shrine in this festive context is entirely acceptable and adds to the celebratory atmosphere. Shrine grounds transform into a temporary festival space that makes the New Year feel genuinely special.
