Happy New Year 2011 in Japan

A happy new year from me and Mio!

In Japan is very common to the womans (even men) to wear kimono and go for a hatsumoude, the first visit to the shrine for pray and buy some mamoris, good luck amulets and a hamaya, a arrow what says destroy bad demons and protect your house.

This year I went to Haruna Shrine in Gunma District, a very beatiful place in the middle of the mountains, unfortunately I got there by the night and cant take some good photos, plus I dont bring my DSLR and have to take photos whit my sony compact camera...

The Shrine entrance.

One of others gate what you will encounter in middle of the walk, by the way, to get to Shrine you have to walk 15 minutes climbing by stairs.

And there the Shrine. In there people pray for a good year and toss some coins in form of gift for the gods. Have some people who toss a large amount of money too, and some takara kuji, a ticket of the most big lottery in Japan.

After the pray, you can get some omikuji, a piece of paper what take your fortune for the year, going to good to bad. if you get some bad fortune dont worry, take the omikuji and tie in some places for bad omikujis, so the temple will burn them to drive away the evil luck, and if you will not content whit it, buy some mamoris for protection. ^_^