Erwin Miyasaka

One of the most beautoful New Year traditions in Japan is hatsumōde , the first visit to a Shinto shrine or a Buddhist temple. Many people are going during the first hours of the year, following an old Shinto tradition to stay awake in the night between years, in front of the Shinto gods. In every city there are preferred spots, such as the Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu shrine in Kamakura, photographed here in the first day of the year, when orderly crowds are patiently waiting to pray for the New Year. Click on photo for higher resolution: Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu, Kamakura If you want to license my photos for commercial use, please contact me EXIF Info: Nikon D700 Lens: 18-70mm F/3.5- 4.5G Focal Length: 27mm Aperture: F/6.3 Shutter Speed: 1/320s ISO Sensitivity: ISO 200 Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Happy New Year! Joya no Kane, 108 Bell Chimes Ver fuente

The New Year is welcomed in Japan with a purification ritual consisting of 108 bell chimes, according to Buddhist tradition each of them cleansing one of the delusions and sufferings accumulated in the past year. Called Joya no Kane - 除夜の鐘 - the ritual takes place at many Buddhist temple and it is a very interesting experience. Happy New Year! Click on photo for higher resolution: Byodo-in, Uji, Kyoto If you want to license my photos for commercial use, please contact me EXIF Info: Nikon Df Lens: 24-70mm F/2.8G Focal Length: 42mm Aperture: F/7.1 Shutter Speed: 1/800s ISO Sensitivity: ISO 200 Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Good luck charms for the New Year, Sankaku Daruma Dolls Ver fuente

The Niigata variant of the well known Daruma Dolls is conical, being called Sankaku (triangle) Daruma Doll. Like the usual dolls, they are good luck charms bought at the beginning of the New Year, symbolizing good fortune and protection for the family because they never fall down, being in fact tilting dolls. Unlike the usual Daruma, they are sold with the eyes already painted. Click on photo for higher resolution: Sankaku Daruma dolls, Niigata If you want to license my photos for commercial use, please contact me EXIF Info: Nikon Df Lens: VR 28-300mm F/3.5-5.6G Focal Length: 160mm Aperture: F/5.6 Shutter Speed: 1/400s ISO Sensitivity: ISO 3200 Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Tokyo Winter Illuminations, Caretta Shiodome Beauty and the Beast Ver fuente

Like this post? Help us by sharing it! Having tried her fair share of hotel breakfasts in Japan – some good, some an acquired taste – Samantha is best placed to prepare you for a unique start to the day. Hotel breakfasts in Japan I am a firm believer that the hotels you stay in […] The post Hotel breakfasts in Japan: Expect the unexpected!  appeared first on InsideJapan Blog . Ver fuente

There’s more color in this year’s design for the Caretta Shiodome illumination theme, inspired by the dance hall from the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast. The light and sound show, with music synchronized with spectacular lights, will take place until February 14th and, if you visit Shiodome during this period, is a must see. Click on photo for higher resolution: Caretta Shiodome, Tokyo If you want to license my photos for commercial use, please contact me EXIF Info: Nikon Df Lens: 24-70mm F/2.8G Focal Length: 24mm Aperture: F/7.1 Shutter Speed: 1/60s ISO Sensitivity: ISO 2000 Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Japanese New Year Decoration, Kagami-mochi Ver fuente

While shimekazari and kadomatsu are placed at the entrance, the third Japanese New Year decoration, kagami-mochi , is placed inside the house, in the tokonoma (if it’s a traditional house ), in the kamidana or simply on the table. The simplest variant of kagami-mochi (in the photo) is made from two rice cakes ( mochi ) of different sizes, with a Japanese type of bitter orange ( daidai ) on top, and it signifies the family’s continuity over the years. Click on photo for higher resolution: Traditional Japanese New Year Decoration, Kagami mochi If you want to license my photos for commercial use, please contact me EXIF Info: Nikon D90 Lens: 8-16mm F/4.5-5.6G Focal Length: 16mm Aperture: F/6.3 Shutter Speed: 1/80s ISO Sensitivity: ISO 640 Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Japanese New Year Decoration, Kadomatsu Ver fuente

If shimekazari is hung above the door to keep away evil spirits. kadomatsu are placed on the sides of the entrance to provide accommodation for toshigami , the kami of the New Year who are bringing good luck and prosperity in the New Year. The kadomatsu design varies, but there are always two common elements, the pine twigs and the three diagonally cut bamboo pieces. The pine symbolizes long life, while the bamboo is a symbol of strength and prosperity. Click on photo for higher resolution: Japanese New Year Decoration, Kadomatsu If you want to license my photos for commercial use, please contact me EXIF Info: Nikon Df Lens: 24-70mm F/2.8G Focal Length: 24mm Aperture: F/6.3 Shutter Speed: 1/200s ISO Sensitivity: ISO 640 Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Japanese New Year Decoration, Shimekazari Ver fuente

Like this post? Help us by sharing it! Little did Madeleine know when she moved to Japan from the UK that hiking would become one of her favourite pursuits. But as a newbie, there are certainly a few things she wished she’d known before hiking in Japan for the first time. Before living in Japan […] The post 10 things to know before hiking in Japan appeared first on InsideJapan Blog . Ver fuente

At the end of the year, there are two Japanese traditions related to the sacred straw rope ( shimenawa ). First, the shimenawa of the Shinto shrines is replaced with a new one, and second, there is a small shimenawa embellished with auspicious objects, called shimekazari , placed on the door at homes. Shimekazari is an amulet said to prevent the evil spirits to enter… And the orange visible in the photo is a daidai , a Japanese bitter orange which, because of a wordplay, is a symbol of family continuity. Daidai is normally written 橙 , but it can be written also 代々 , which means “from generation to generation"… Click on photo for higher resolution: Japanese New Year Decoration, Shimekazari If you want to license my photos for commercial use, please contact me EXIF Info: Nikon Df Lens: 35mm F/2D Focal Length: 35mm Aperture: F/2.8 Shutter Speed: 1/250s ISO Sensitivity: ISO 200 Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Me