5 days have passed since 2011 started, I have yet to have my hatsumode (first shrine visit of the year). In the past two years, I did it on New Year's Day. Two years ago, I was at the Todai-ji of Nara. Last year, I went to Tsukui Kannon Zen Temple.
This year, a lady friend of mine who had yet to do her hatsumode as well said to do it at Meiji Shrine.
I have written about Meiji Shrine, which is filled with young women in kimono during Seijin No Hi (Coming Of Age Day), (... and that was the top-viewed blog post of last year), which is the number one destination in Japan for hatsumode. Been there a few times, but thought it's a great idea to finally go there for my hatsumode.
So I went.
The first three days of the new year would have been overcrowded, but today, it was decent.
!["Please watch your steps"](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5130/5326451927_d46555cb3b.jpg)
![People heading to Meiji Shrine](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5001/5326453023_6365b368d8.jpg)
Rinsed hand and mouth at the temizuya.
![People washing hands at temizuya](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5044/5326455123_2c4125d8d9.jpg)
Then we headed to the main shrine building.
It was a rather sunny day. My friend's face glistened brightly in the afternoon sun.
![It was pretty sunny at the main shrine](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5204/5327064324_33da49537e.jpg)
So was my own gorgeous face.
![Me in front of the main shrine of Meiji Shrine](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5245/5326457977_0604b81dc7.jpg)
It was crowded in front of the shrine building, but quite manageable.
![Main shrine building of Meiji Shrine](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5123/5327066112_c2932992f8.jpg)
I looked behind me again, the sun was casting a warm soft light over us all.
![She was bathed in sunlight at Meiji Shrine](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5042/5327066932_9f00760787.jpg)
![Vertical ray of the sun](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5203/5326461661_bdab350082.jpg)
A fine day for hatsumode, no?
![People making their prayers](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5047/5327069808_d7bb552bbb.jpg)
![Lining up for Hatsumode](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5161/5327070056_86390547c3.jpg)
We then headed to get our omikuji and see our fortunes.
![Omikuji stall of Meiji Shrine](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5084/5326463849_9d23161c32.jpg)
Being the fifth day of 2011 already, only a few were in kimono.
![A girl in red kimono](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5127/5327071078_eeda2cc8d5.jpg)
Despite getting our fortunes from different boxes, she and I ended up with the same omikuji.
![Identical Omikuji](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5327072006_c87b29c8cb.jpg)
She translated to me that the omikuji said I had to work hard. Guess I'm not a workaholic enough, perhaps a sign that it's time for me to plot a new short film before I start work on my ambitious feature-length debut.
We then went to check out the ema (絵馬), they are wooden plaques where people write their prayers or wishes.
![Checking out the Ema](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5247/5326581249_6b230e2928.jpg)
One wishes to see the J-pop boy (man?) band Arashi.
!["I wish to see Arashi"](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5044/5326582573_589272a114.jpg)
A kid wishes to become a Kamen Rider.
Another wishes that the world won't blow up because of global warming.
![One wishes to be a kamen rider. The other wishes the world won't explode.](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5247/5327191554_c759f7fdf0.jpg)
This year, a lady friend of mine who had yet to do her hatsumode as well said to do it at Meiji Shrine.
I have written about Meiji Shrine, which is filled with young women in kimono during Seijin No Hi (Coming Of Age Day), (... and that was the top-viewed blog post of last year), which is the number one destination in Japan for hatsumode. Been there a few times, but thought it's a great idea to finally go there for my hatsumode.
So I went.
The first three days of the new year would have been overcrowded, but today, it was decent.
!["Please watch your steps"](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5130/5326451927_d46555cb3b.jpg)
![People heading to Meiji Shrine](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5001/5326453023_6365b368d8.jpg)
Rinsed hand and mouth at the temizuya.
![People washing hands at temizuya](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5044/5326455123_2c4125d8d9.jpg)
Then we headed to the main shrine building.
It was a rather sunny day. My friend's face glistened brightly in the afternoon sun.
![It was pretty sunny at the main shrine](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5204/5327064324_33da49537e.jpg)
So was my own gorgeous face.
![Me in front of the main shrine of Meiji Shrine](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5245/5326457977_0604b81dc7.jpg)
It was crowded in front of the shrine building, but quite manageable.
![Main shrine building of Meiji Shrine](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5123/5327066112_c2932992f8.jpg)
I looked behind me again, the sun was casting a warm soft light over us all.
![She was bathed in sunlight at Meiji Shrine](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5042/5327066932_9f00760787.jpg)
![Vertical ray of the sun](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5203/5326461661_bdab350082.jpg)
A fine day for hatsumode, no?
![People making their prayers](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5047/5327069808_d7bb552bbb.jpg)
![Lining up for Hatsumode](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5161/5327070056_86390547c3.jpg)
We then headed to get our omikuji and see our fortunes.
![Omikuji stall of Meiji Shrine](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5084/5326463849_9d23161c32.jpg)
Being the fifth day of 2011 already, only a few were in kimono.
![A girl in red kimono](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5127/5327071078_eeda2cc8d5.jpg)
Despite getting our fortunes from different boxes, she and I ended up with the same omikuji.
![Identical Omikuji](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5327072006_c87b29c8cb.jpg)
She translated to me that the omikuji said I had to work hard. Guess I'm not a workaholic enough, perhaps a sign that it's time for me to plot a new short film before I start work on my ambitious feature-length debut.
We then went to check out the ema (絵馬), they are wooden plaques where people write their prayers or wishes.
![Checking out the Ema](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5247/5326581249_6b230e2928.jpg)
One wishes to see the J-pop boy (man?) band Arashi.
!["I wish to see Arashi"](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5044/5326582573_589272a114.jpg)
A kid wishes to become a Kamen Rider.
Another wishes that the world won't blow up because of global warming.
![One wishes to be a kamen rider. The other wishes the world won't explode.](http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5247/5327191554_c759f7fdf0.jpg)