Akemashite Omedetougozaimasu

Last night was New Years Eve and we celebrated at home with Wolf. So, this morning Ami and I visited two local shrines. The first one was Nagata Shrine and it's purpose is good business and good luck in your work. It was crowded.

This was the entrance once we go off the train. The streets were closed to traffic and both side of the streets were lined with shops selling food, usually hot food.

It was a bit of a walk to the shrine itself and the streets were crowded. We jostled for space and made it past the entrance gate and into the shrine.

Nagata Shrine is home to several gods: business, work, and the seven gods of luck and happiness.  You need to pray to each one in turn, usually throwing in a five or ten yen coin.

But before you can do that, you have to wash your hands at the entrance, so you are not throwing dirty money (!)

The cold water flows from bamboo sticks and the water falls into a concrete bowl and is recycled. You need to catch the water as it falls and wash your hands. Then you get to dry your hands on your jeans as there is no towel for this purpose. :)

It didn't long to get to the main temple and toss in 10 yen, clap my hands twice and request luck this year in business and employment.

On the way out, we stopped at the seven gods of happiness and prayed. I said, happy new year (Akemashite Omedetougozaimasu) and wished the wife a good and happy life together.

Then we saw this statue with money on it -->
I think the idea is to balance a coin on the statue and then make a wish. I think this is just giving money away (shrines make a lot of cash in times of financial hardship).

Ami wanted to buy a good luck charm there (omamori), but I didn't feel anything for that shrine so I said no. And then we decided to go home. On the way to the station, I bought a hot dog on a stick and the wife bought Takoyaki (Octopus balls):

At the station the wife said she wanted to go to the other shine as well. This shrine is called Minatogawa, and it's god is one that grants wishes. Now, I thought the other place was packed but Minatogawa was chocka:

Talk about packed. 

It's usually like this at midnight on New Years Eve. 

It took ages to get through the entrance, and past the food stalls (that weren't doing much business). When we got there, we beat the rush -- apparently -- as when we left there was a long line several people wide around the block.

After we reached the front and tossed in a 50 yen coin and made a wish, we walked over to the omamori stand and bought a good luck charm. It's a small bag with a picture on it, usually of an insect. You are not supposed to open it and look at the picture, but 13 years ago I wanted to see if anything WAS inside and I opened it up, unwrapped the paper and yep, there was an insect drawn. What kind it was I don't know plus it looked like a sketch that was rushed or done by a kid. So I know not to open them now. It's meant to be bad luck if you open it. You should also return the omamori to the shrine you got it from one year later and then buy a new one. I kept mine for 8 years. Worked well. Now, I have a new one. (sorry no photo)