Hatsumode: The First Visit to a Shrine of the New Year

Hatsumode: The First Visit to a Shrine of the New Year Hatsumode is usually thought of as January 1st, although it can be a few days later. People visit a shrine or sometimes temple and pray for comfort and health in the new year. It is very common to see women in kimono and quite a few men too. In photographing the shrine in it’s New Year’s get-up and the goings on of the visitors, I was very struck by how prominent food and drink is a part of this cultural and religious celebration. We visited Shimogamo Shrine, a UNESO World Heritage Site in the north of the city, in the early afternoon of January 1st.

from:

http://kyotofoodie.com/hatsumode-the-first-visit-to-a-shrine-of-the-new-year/