Spirit of the Season - Osaka prefecture, Japan

Spirit of the Season - Osaka prefecture, Japan

Hatsumode time! This photo is of a (Shinto) shrine within walking distance of our house, taken in the early evening yesterday (January 1st) with everyone continuing to line up to pay their respects to the local kami for the first shrine visit of the new year. This is a very important custom in Japan and is a significant part of the traditions carried out here at this time of the year. 明けましておめでとうございます🎍⛩ Happy New Year! By the Japanese calendar, the year is now 平成 (Heisei) 29.