HATSUMODE

New Year's Day is the only day of the year in Japan when most activities stop. The Japanese take advantage of this to visit temples and shrines for their first wishes of the year. From the evening of the 31st (ōmisoka), when the 108 bells of Buddhist temples ring, to January 3rd, pilgrims come in droves to say their prayers and celebrate the arrival of the new year. Large crowds form at the most popular sites, such as the Meiji Jingu in Tokyo or the Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto.