The BEST 5 most popular shrines and temples for “Hatsumode”
Hatsumode is an event in which people visit shrines and temples for the first time after the New Year. People offer thanksgiving for the past year and pray for safety and peace in the new year. It is also called Hatsumairi.
Which shrines and temples are popular for Hatsumode?
Ise Jingu Shrine (Mie Prefecture)
Ise Jingu is the main shrine of the Jinja Honcho( Association of Shinto Shrines), which oversees more than 80,000 shrines. It is a special place among shrines, and since the Edo period (1603-1867), it has been called “once-in-a-lifetime visit to Ise shrine”. And many people visit the shrine for Hatsumode (New Year’s visit)
There are 43 Sessha (shrines where gods related to the gods in the main shrine are worshiped), 42 Shokansha (shrines where the gods of clothing, food and housing are worshiped),and other shrines including the Imperial Grand Shrine (Inner Shrine), which enshrines Amaterasu Omikami, the ancestral deity of the Imperial Family, and the Toyouke no Omikami Grand Shrine (Outer Shrine), which enshrines Toyouke no Omikami, the guardian deity of industry, food, clothing, and shelter.
Atsuta Jingu (Aichi Prefecture)
Atsuta Jingu Shrine enshrines the Kusanagi no Mitsurugi, one of the three sacred weapons. It can be visited by train from Nagoya Station in 5 to 7 minutes. The grounds of the shrine cover an area of about 60,000 tsubo (about 1,000 square meters), and including those outside the shrine grounds, there are as many as 45 shrines, including the main shrine. The Treasure House, where selected items from a collection of about 6,000 items are gradually opened to the public, and the Kusanagi-kan, an exhibition hall specializing in swords that opened in October 2021, are also worth a visit. In addition to Hatsumode (New Year’s visit), Hatsuebisu (New Year’s Festival) is held on January 5 to pray for prosperous business, family safety, and a good catch of fish, attracting a large crowd. And there is also Nobunaga wall in this shrine
On May 19, 1560, Oda Nobunaga prayed at Atsuta Shrine for victory in the Battle of Okehazama to intercept Imagawa Yoshimoto, and in gratitude for his historic victory over Yoshimoto, he dedicated the Tsukiji Fence. This is the Nobunaga Wall located within the precincts of Atsuta Jingu Shrine.
Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine (Osaka Prefecture)
Sumiyoshi Taisha is the head shrine of more than 2,300 shrines in Japan. People visit the shrine not only from Osaka but also from all over the country, with as many as 2 million people coming to the shrine every three days of the week. The four main buildings of Sumiyoshi Taisha are called “Sumiyoshi-zukuri. This is one of the oldest styles of shrine architecture in history, and is so valuable that all four buildings have been designated as national treasures. The Hatsumode of Sumiyoshi-taisha Shrine is called “Yuttari-mode” (relaxed and calm). Each person is asked to keep his or her distance from the shrine, and “Smart Omikuji,” in which visitors draw omikuji numbers with their smartphones instead of using a wooden tube, is also implemented.
Naritasan Shinshoji Temple (Chiba Prefecture)
Naritasan Shinsho-ji Temple was founded in the Heian period (794-1192) and has a history of more than 1,000 years. TThe three-story pagoda in front of the main hall is an important cultural property. The three-story pagoda in front of the main hall is an important cultural property.
There is also a park on the temple grounds, which is about 3.5 times the size of the Tokyo Dome, where visitors can enjoy a leisurely stroll. Naritasan Shinsho-ji Temple offers New Year’s decorations until January 28, which is a long period of time to enjoy the mood of Hatsumode (New Year’s visit).
Meiji Jingu Shrine (Tokyo)
Meiji Jingu Shrine, which usually attracts the largest number of Hatsumode visitors in Japan, was built in 1920 and is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Dowager Shoken. Although located in the urban area of Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, Meiji Jingu Shrine is surrounded by a 700,000-square-meter forest of Shinto shrines. This forest was planned as an “eternal forest” and was created through the dedication of approximately 100,000 trees from all over Japan. Although the shrine is easily accessible from the station and can be easily incorporated into Tokyo sightseeing routes, it should be noted that it is expected to be very crowded during Hatsumode (New Year’s visit).
