Our New Year's Visit to the Shinto Shrine

Welcome to the Naminouegu-u Shrine. It is customary for the Japanese to visit the temple or Shrine to pray for blessings in the New Year. Whole families, business partners and even sports' teams make reservations, well in advance, for a brief prayer service with the presiding priest in the hopes of realizing success, health and prosperity in the new year.

A shrine visitor departs...

Ritual burning of last year's talismans and paper fortunes. Out with the old, in with the new.

torii gate against a brilliant sun 

New Year's prayer cards outside the shrine. You can personalize it with your own prayer for the year.

Ritual cleansing of the hands and mouth always preceeds a visit to the shrine or temple.

shadows... 

One of the workers assisting a tour bus with parking.

relfections

an obliging shrine worker

New Year's fortunes tied on a tree outside the Shrine.

Another view of the patio and waterfall. 

reflections... 

The patio at the Naha Terrace Hotel 

A Japanese garden 

The gardens of the Naha Terrace Hotel 

The lovely ladies of my OIWC culture group.