New Year Part 2: New Year's Day

When we finished ringing the temple bell, it was almost midnight. We jumped on bicycles and headed for nearby Samukawa. Bypassed by the main rail line, it has lost its importance as a town over the last 150 years, but Samukawa Shrine has retained its hold on the affections of the local population who flock to it at New Year from nearby larger towns.

It is a little past midnight and the shrine precincts are already crowded with people. Rather than join the throngs inching forward toward the main building to throw coins as a New Year offering and prayer, we go no further than the main gate where we admire the lantern decoration—this year featuring a cow for by the 12-year cycle of the Chinese Zodiac, 2009 is the year of the cow.

Samukawa Shrine 1.1.09 (Photo by M)

We buy a fortune for 100 yen. Mine is lucky, Masaya's is very lucky. Each includes detailed predictions of health, business, love and other matters for the following year. The narrow paths of the shrine grounds are lined with food stalls offering noodles, pancakes, sweet corn, beer, sweet amazake. Generators whir and under bright lights, vendors bark a welcome to the passing crowds. We buy buttered potatoes and cups of hot sake. After enjoying them on a quiet side street, we ride away through the cold night.

Halfway home, we stop on a country road and climb a flight of steps. In the middle of a silent wood stands a small shrine building. It is deserted, but on this night only, the doors have been opened and the inside is illuminated. We approach, throw our coins into the offertory box, shake the thick rope that hangs down, ringing the bells to summon the gods, clap our hands and pray for the New Year. Then we return to the bicycles and ride home to bed.

--Julian