Mad Rush to Temples and Shrines

Posted by Kyle Yates in Kansai Visitors

Christmas is only two days away! It is celebrated all over the world by Christians and non-Christians alike, especially in Japan where only about 1% of the population are Christian. However, in recent years, Christmas has gained in popularity even among non-Christians as the gift-giving part of the holiday catches on more with children and adults. Who doesn’t want to give or receive a gift, right, especially in a country where giving and receiving are an intricate part of the culture.

Still, Christmas is not the most important time of the winter holiday season for most Japanese, New Years Day is.

People from all over Japan, from now to many days after the new year has rung in, will get off their tatami mats and out of bed to go to a shrine or temple to pray for a better new year even if they are on their death beds. It is what Japanese do. And if you know Japanese, when one person goes all go. Of course, I’m being a little facetious, but not far from the truth.

So if you are planning to spend time in Japan during the New Year’s holiday season, get yourself ready to endure long lines of traffic, crowded trains, shrines, temples and restaurants because everyone and their brother will be out hiking up to a temple alter to pray for health, money, children, love and anything else thought of.

On a little different note, prices during the holiday season won’t get higher like they do touristy areas in other countries around the world. They will in some cases actually become lower because of the high number of people visitors traveling about. So shopping during New Year’s season can be a good time to spend money. But then for you, battling the crowds may or may not be more important than saving a few yen. That’s something you’ll have to weigh for yourself.

Be careful and enjoy a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, wherever you are and especially if you are in Japan! And remember that the bells you may be hearing in the distance, if you are in Japan during this time, won’t be Santa Claus riding off in his sleigh, but people pulling and shaking the ropes to the bells and chimes at temples and shrines as they pray in the New Year!