Happy New Year! 🎍 Best regards again this year. It is a giant ema of the Year of the Snake of Kawagoe Hachimangu.

Photographed 10/20/24. It is the second day of the Kawagoe Festival. The festival float of Senba Jiro Yasuya in Senba Towns visits Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine.

Nagawacho, photographed on December 20 A tengu suddenly appears along Route 178 heading from Wada in Nagawacho toward Utsukushigahara Highlands. A tengu mask is enshrined at the Sekison Shrine in the mountains beyond. It looks like it snowed again this morning, so it may be covered with a bit more snow now.

Hello 👋😃 This is Crystal Sound 👀 With just a little of this year left, we pray that next year will be a good one for everyone. In Shosenkyo Gorge there is Kanazakura Shrine, famous as the birthplace of crystal in Japan. Many visitors come to pray there at New Year as a lucky spot for financial fortune, so why not pay a visit yourself. There are many shops nearby selling crystals, so come and drop by✨ At Crystal Sound we carry lots of beautiful jewelry and crystals🫠 We have also received carved snakes for next year’s zodiac, so please come and take a look✨ All of our staff look forward to welcoming you from the bottom of our hearts.

Photographed 12/23/24. It is Hanachozu of Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

Photographed 12/23/24. It is Hanachozu of Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine.

In the early morning of the next day when it snowed in Kyoto unusually, I woke up early and went to shoot while freezing. The air was clear, the sunrise was beautiful, and the snow-covered three-story pagoda matched the really nice scenery in front of me.

It is a winter view of Kamo Shrine in Keihoku, Kyoto. Impression when I arrived at Kamo Shrine by walking alone in the mountains where there was quite a bit of snow. After Prayer, I forgot about the cold for about two hours and took pictures with enthusiasm.

About a 3-minute walk from JR Oito Line Hotaka Station Snow has begun to fall at Hotaka Shrine, bringing a true winter feeling Come visit for New Year’s Eve shrine visits or Hatsumode (first shrine visit of the year) Visit Hotaka Shrine’s official website here https://www.hotakajinja.com// Visit Hotaka Shrine’s Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/hotakajinja/...

New Year in Kanagawa! Hatsumode Welcome the start of the new year at a shrine in Kanagawa? https://www.kanagawa-kankou.or.jp/theme_list/hatsumode...

Photographed on December 15, 24. It is a one-year cheap sea bream lottery of Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine. Orange is my favorite color, so I'm happy.

Prayer at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine today. The giant ema of the Year of the Snake was completed. I was preparing for the announcement of this year's one-letter event. Unfortunately, because it was work, I couldn't see a single letter.

Photographed 12/15/24. It is a new Torii (shrine gate) gate of Kawagoe Hachimangu.

Photographed 12/15/24. It is a limited time Hanachozu of Kawagoe Kumano Shrine. For the first time in a long time, yellowtail attended the festival of the Zenarai Benten Itsukushima Shrine.

Kit wishes come true — we have put up ema plaques 😍 A few years ago we collaborated with KitKat on the Kito Line and installed ema plaques then; we have installed those same ema again this year‼️ If you visit Takaharacho, please stop by Takahara Station and write your wish on one‼️😝 We will properly dedicate the ema at the shrine ⛩️! About ema — we looked into them a bit! ⭐︎Unlike omikuji, ema are things you “dedicate” ⭐︎You can write vertically or horizontally—either is fine ⭐︎Since you are asking the kami (gods), it’s good to write phrases like “May 〇〇 come true” or “I hope 〇〇 is granted.” ⭐︎You may sign with either your initials or your full name—both are OK! In fact, it used to be recommended to include your address and date of birth, but many people avoid that now to prevent personal information from leaking. ⭐︎You can write several wishes on a single ema, but it’s better to separate different prayers by using different ema. ⭐︎It seems acceptable to dedicate the same wish on ema at several different shrines or temples. This is what we found in our research, so we can’t say it’s definitive, but remembering these guidelines might help your wishes come true even more! 😍 Please drop by Takahara Station to write an ema — they are free of charge‼️🤩 Place: Takaharu Town Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Takahara Station) Address: 473-6 Nishifumoto, Takaharacho, Nishimorokata District, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan Parking available (free)

Photographed 12/12/24. It is an orange annual sea bream lottery.

Today, I attended the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine Monthly Festival. Preparations for the New Year 🎍 had begun, and Shichi-Go-San's shooting spots were moving.

Prayer at Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine before going to work. A wedding ceremony was taking place. This is the Hanamari of Temizuya.

Isumi Shrine Light-Up As part of the Otaki Castle Town illumination, Isumi Shrine is also lit up through December 31, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

Photographed 12/9/24. It is the sacred tree of Kawagoe Hachimangu. The carpet of Ginkgo leaves is very beautiful.

Photographed 12/4/24. This is the love water of Kawagoe Kumano Shrine. Shot from a different angle.

Photographed 12/4/24. This is the love water of Kawagoe Kumano Shrine. It was redecorated for winter. ❄️

Prayer to Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine before work. 💛 Ginkgo leaves.

Photographed 12/4/24. At the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, a potato dedication ceremony was held. This is Kawagoe Imo Lottery. With the number enclosed in the fortune teller, you can receive a strip of the Imo Lottery Extra Edition. It seems that you can understand the potato language, potato knowledge, and lucky potato items.

Photographed 12/3/24. At the Kawagoe Hikawa Shrine, a potato dedication ceremony was held. The Kawagoe Imo Lottery is handmade by everyone at the Kawagoe Imonoko Workshop.

Photographed 12/3/24. Kawagoe Kumano Shrine is a Tori no Ichi market. It is a very auspicious rake such as a beckoning cat, a turtle, and an owl. It was early, so I couldn't see them. Next year, I will try to come in the evening.

Photographed 12/3/24. Kawagoe Kumano Shrine is a Tori no Ichi market. It is a good luck charm for the zodiac sign of the coming year. 🐍

Photographed 12/3/24. Kawagoe Kumano Shrine is a Tori no Ichi market.

Today, I took a walk in Kawagoe. On the approach to the temple to Kawagoe Hachimangu Shrine, pigeons were eating rice. Squid is a messenger of God, so it may be very auspicious. 🕊️🌾

The 13th Azumino Kamiakari Bamboo Lantern Festival Friday–Sunday, December 6–8, 2024 About 10,000 bamboo lanterns will be lit one by one, warming and brightening the cold winter nights The gentle glow of candles will warm your heart as well Lighting hours: 16:00–around 20:00 Venue: Hotaka Shrine Open lighting ceremony for everyone (Participants are asked to bring a lighter for lighting by 16:00.) *Lighters for lighting will be sold on site.* ● Kagura Hall Live Performance A lively live show will be held to energize the event ● Special Hotaka Ningyo Kamiakari Display A special stage unique to this year’s kamiakari will be exhibited in the Kita Shrine Garden ● Kamiakari Goshuin (Kamiakari commemorative seal) During the kamiakari event, from 16:00 to around 20:00, a special goshuin will be available only at this time. A customary offering of 500 yen is required. Concurrent Event / Azumino Terrace Dec 6–8 “Rice and Sake MARKET” 15:00–20:00 Food trucks and delicious-treat tents gather in one place! A warm rest tent with a stove will also be available.