Shinto Shrine at New Year (Chiba)

Japanese  ⇒ Nippon burari SHOT

Many Japanese people visit a shrine during the first three days of January in order to make New Year's wishes for health and happiness. This is called hatsumode, the first visit to a shrine.

Specially decorated shrines for coming new year in Urayasu City, Chiba prefecture, Japan.

Seiryu Shrine (located in Horie, Urayasu) in the New Year's Eve

Oharae, a year-end Shinto ritual of purification, will be held in front of the shrine.

Seiryu Shrine in a New Year's day 

Enshrined Deity of the Seiryu Shrine is Owatazumi-no-mikoto, sea god.

Chozusha, a building for cleaning hands and rinsing mouth, in Seiryu Shrine

Selling omamori, good luck charms, and hamaya, sacred arrows, to invite good fortune and ward off the evil.

It says 'Happy New Year' on the signboard.

A line of worshipers to visit the shrine

Toyouke Shrine (located in Nekozane, Urayasu) in the New Year's Day    The enshrined deity is Toyoukehime-no-ookami, a goddess of food.

Big banners written as '豊受大神', Toyouke-no-Ookami, have been setting up especially during  New Year's days.

Chozusha, a building for cleaning hands and rinsing mouth, in Toyouke Shrine

Toyouke Shrine

The approach to Inari Shrine situated in Toudaijima, Urayasu

Inari, Toyouke and Seiryu Shrine are referred to as Urayasu-sanja, three main shrines in Urayasu. They hold a festival jointly every four years.

Chozusha, a building for cleaning hands and rinsing mouth, in Inari Shrine

The enshrined deities are Toyouke-no-Ookami, Ojin-Tenno and Kashuga-no-Ookami.

Seiryu Benzaiten Shrine situated in Horie, Urayasu

Hall of the Seiryu Benzaiten Shrine

Chozusha, a building for cleaning hands and rinsing mouth, in the Seiryu Benzaiten Shrine

Basin and ladles in the Chozusha

Hall of the Seiryu Benzaiten Shrine

Sayuten-no-Mikoto Benzaiten Shrine situated in Nekozane, Urayasu

Chozusha at the Sayuten-no-Mikoto Benzaiten Shrine

Introduction of the shrine

Sayuten-no-Mikoto Benzaiten Shrine

Namikiri-Fudoson Temple situated in Nekozane, Urayasu

Stone monuments at Namikiri-Fudoson Temple

Koshinto, a shrine to Shomen Kongo, situated in Nekozane, Urayasu

Shomen Kongo image sculpted on a stone

End of Shinto shrine at the new year.      return to List of scenic sites visited

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Eihei-ji Temple (Fukui)

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Eihei-ji is a main temple of the Soto sect of Zen Buddhism, founded by Dogen in 1244, located in Yoshida district, Fukui prefecture.

Chokushi-mon Gate (gate for imperial envoys)

Godai-sugi, cedar trees of approximately 700 years old.

Shoro, the belfry with a great bell of five tons.

Ho-on-to, a pagoda in which copies of Buddhist sutra are housed.

The quiet precincts surrounded by a lot of cedar trees.

Chujaku-mon Gate, the gate between San-mon Gate and Butsu-den (Buddha hall).

 Butsu-den (Buddha hall)

The halls of the temple built on the slope are connected by covered corridors or stone steps.

Echizen Take-ningyo no Sato  (Echizen bamboo doll village) close to Eihei-ji temple.
It's said to be only place which make dolls of bamboo in Japan.

Bamboo Hair   It's said to be the feature of Echizen Bamboo Doll to make hairs by thinly cutting bamboos.

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Izumo-taisha (Shimane)

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Izumo-taisha, Izumo Grand Shrine, located in Izumo, Shimane, is one of the most ancient and important shinto shrines in Japan.
Honden, the main hall at 24 m high, is designated as a National Treasure of Japan.

Kagura-den, Kagura Hall with large shimenawa (sacred straw rope) which is 13 meters long and 5 tons in weight.

Inside of Kagura-den

The large shimenawa seen from the inside of the Kagura-den.

鏡の池, Kagami-no-Ike, a pond next to the Kagura-den.

島台の松, Shimadai-no-Matsu, a big pine tree on the Kagami-no-Ike.

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