New Years Eve and Japan New Year

I had a great opportunity to experience New Year's Eve and New Year in very multicultural/Japanese way. My collegue invited me and my friend over to his family - a German wife and two kids (Nova and Maya) And, it was wonderful.

My host
His house is roughly at 400m on the southeast slope of Rokko mountain. It faces a beautiful view of Nishinomiya city, a small bay of Japan sea, parts of Osaka city. And, gimple of Rokko mountain forest adds beauty to this scenery.



12AM
When a year of 2010 came at midnight, we cheered with drinks and nice wishes. As I jumped into their balcony having full of view neighbourhood, I hear no sound on street. It was clear calm and quiet.No fireworks seen nor did I hear any sound of explosives! I hear a chant of a large bell!

Shrine
Japanese go to a temple, and pray for coming year, my Japanese host explained. So we went to a shrine nearby.
First, hands must be purified with water.


Then, go and bow in front of Buddha in the shrine, and place your offer [a coin], and pull down a string twice and pray for wishes and bow to finish.

It was cold, too:)


Then, most Japanese come to monks to pick your fortune for new year and take a bowl of Sake (rice wine). I cannot miss that Sake:)


There was an another temple closer to this shrine, so we walked up there. Besides, a larger temple and private service - monks serve a special cermony upon a reservation of people in a temple - it is private.
The difference here was a big bell, in which people knock it by 108 times (the number of sins). So people were lined up to knock it once each person.


01, 01, 2010
On the morning of 2010, we had a proper Japanese New Year's breakfast. Many of dishes like beans represent prosperity and good wishes for new year. It was delicious, the fish was the most tasty! Yum yum;p



To start new day of new year, Japanese go to temple/shrine in the morning as well.