New Years Countdown at Zojoji, Hatsumode at Meiji Jingu
To count down for the new year, I went with a few friends to Zojoji (the shrine in front of Tokyo Tower) to join in on the festivities there! It was super crowded but lots of fun!
The bell they rang when it became 2010! You could get a ticket to ring the bell but we got there too late for that!
Balloons that never made it D: People had balloons with pieces of paper with wishes written on it attached to them and they were released at the stroke of midnight! There were so many balloons and it looked so pretty when they were released but I was too busy taking a video and didn’t manage to get a picture D:
2010!
When they started calling ticket numbers out so people could ring the bell
After that we pushed our way out of the shrine area to get the train (no last train on New Years!) to go to Harajuku for hatsumode (first shrine visit of the New Year) at Meiji Jingu!
At first it didn’t look like there were toooo many people…
But then we came to this!
Getting closer… it didn’t actually take that long - a little less than an hour maybe? I was surprised because I heard that sometimes people wait till like 5am!
We’re there! Everyone was just chucking coins at the shrine and making their wishes!
I didn’t get home till 4am but it was a great way to experience Japan. There were so many people and I got smacked by a balloon and elbowed on the chin but it was really a great way to welcome 2010!
Happy New Year! あけましておめでとう！
