Hatsumode: Visiting Osaka's Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine

Unlike many other places on earth where New Year is celebrated with loud countdowns and parties, people (this doesn't count those in city centres where countdown parties are held) in Japan tend to welcome it rather quietly and peacefully. Indeed many people here flock the shrine on new year's eve to witness the ringing of the bell at 0:00 (midnight), however, the majority prefers to stay home eating soba, a symbol for longer life, watching Japanese comedy TV programs or doing their usual activities, letting the night pass without a single firecracker exploding (this is true for Onohara) or clang of pots can be heard. Instead, many wake up early the next day and head to a Shinto Shrine to pray and know their lucks for the rest of the year. This tradition is called Hatsumode which means "first shrine visit". This year I celebrated my New Year's eve the Japanese way and to pay respect to this very old Shinto tradition, I also did hatsumode. The Shrine that we visited is called Sumiyoshi Taisha also known as the Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine located in Sumiyo ward in Osaka city.

The shrine was full of thousands of visitors when we arrived. Because of this and the huge size of the shrine, confusion as to where the main entrance is naturally arrised. While trying to figure out our way, I managed to take some pictures of the place.

The shrine is dedicated to the god who takes care of those traveling on the sea and I couldn't help but wonder why it's located quite distant from the port. I quickly got my answer from my friend who explained that in the ancient times, Sumiyoshi Taisha used to be near the sea and that meant a lot of places near the port (and the port itself) used to be underwater!

Among the landmarks of the shrine, the most striking is the red bridge arching over a pond where visitors have to walk on through to get to the main praying area. As in all shrines, we had to observe certain ways on how to do rituals of praying to the Shinto gods. I wrote them here and hopefully this may help you when you do your own hatsumode.

1. First of all, locate a place where there's a source of flowing water that typically looks like an overflowing well with dippers made of bamboo or wood. Pick one with your right hand and scoop water and gently wash your left hand (palm). Make sure you don't pour all the water in your dipper. Trasfer the dipper to your left hand and wash your right hand. Again make sure not to drain your dipper. Then hold the dipper with your right hand and put some water in your mouth with the aid of your left palm. Let this water run through your teeth like gargling (not as intensive as when your brushing your teeth). Spit it out gently. Now there should still be some water remaining in your dipper. Incline the dipper vertically slowly and let the remaining water flow on your dipper's handle. Water is very important in Shintoism as it sybolises purity. It's quite difficult to describe the whole procedure in writing but I hope you've got something from this. The most effective way is to observe how they do it before trying it yourself.

2. Next, find the (main) praying area of the shrine. This typically where a lot of people are throwing money on some sort of an altar or pedestal. Throw coins on this area and bow twice then clap twice and say your prayers or wish and bow one more time. You can throw any amount you like but preferably at least around 10 yen.

3. The last thing to do during hatsumode is to know what it's going to be like for you this year so head to the nearest area where shinto priests are and pay some amount ranging from 200 to 500 yen. They will then ask you to shake a wooden cylinder in which there are wooden sticks with numbers. Let one of these stick out through a hole (don't pull it out completely) of the wooden container and read out the number to the priest (show it if you can't read the number in Japanese) and she will give you a paper that tells you your luck for the whole year. Unfortunately it might be written in Japanese and you might have to ask somebody to translate it for you. Although as far as I know, there are a few shrines such as the ones in Kobe where there is an English translation at the back of the paper. Now assuming that you have already read your luck, you can either keep the paper if you like what was written on it or tie it to some tree or strings if you don't like it.

If in case you get hungry on your first shrine visit of the year, there are plenty of foods being sold around the shrine. You can also grab some souvenirs there if you  want. 

So there you go folks. Have fun on your hatsumode next year!