My 2008 Nara hatsumode pilgrimageI performed my very first hatsumode （初詣） on the Jan 1, 2008. It was a very spiritually experience for me. Hatsumode literally means the first temple visit of the year. And every year, on New Year's eve, Japanese would flock in great numbers to their favorite temples to count down to the new year. However, recently, even sacred places like temples have to fight for attention as many younger generations are following western culture by celebrating the New Year at popular watering holes.
If you are in Japan, don't miss the great opportunity to open your eyes and heart by celebrating new year in a temple. Let me briefly describe how I spent my New Year's eve and the first day of the year. The map that you see shows Nara park （奈良公園） which is located towards the East of Nara city. There are many temples and shrines here, amongst them, the famous Todaiji temple （東大寺） which is said to be the largest wooden structure in the world.
① I alighted from the Kintetsu Nara （近鉄奈良） train station and worked-up an appetite for dinner by walking aimlessly around the station. There wasn't many places open that day, so I settled for an udon and curry rice set meal. Having had a very satisfying dinner, I walked East casually towards Nara park. It was 9 pm, and only a few people were scattered along the way. But the yatai were already lining the streets, ready for their customers.
② I reached Nigatsu-do （二月堂）, literally February hall, some 1 hour later. From its balcony you can have a bird's eye view of Nara city. There, I rested for a good half an hour before making my way down.
③ Midway between Nigatsu-do and Todaiji is a huge shoro （鐘楼） or bell tower. About 400 people were already lining up to strike the bell at the stroke of midnight. This was the highlight of New Year's eve. Waiting patiently for 1 hour out in the cold winter night was not something everyone would like to do, but the wait was worth it. If I remembered correctly our group was number #48, so about 376 people had already struck the bell. When it was our turn, 8 of us would pull big thick ropes that is connected to a huge tree trunk, not unlike a battering ram, and let go. The bell gave a resounding gong and we were all very pleased with ourselves. From there, I moved over to the Kasuga grand shrine.
④ Along the way, I had amazake （甘酒）. It's an alcoholic beverage made from rice and a little sweet. It tasted a bit like bubur charchar without the sweet potato. By now, the streets are already swelled with a crowd. It was begining to looks more like a summer matsuri （祭り）. There was a long line for Todaiji, so I decided to give that a miss. On the first day of New Year, I heard that the window pane that blocks the giant Buddha statue's head will be open to the public.
⑤ The line for Kasuga shrine （春日大社） was not short either. After a short detour to the surrounding smaller shrines, I made it into the grand shrine. But not before I got some more sake. It felt good to have hot sake in the cold winter. I finally understood why Russians likes vodka.
⑥ The grand shrine was pretty crowded. That's because instead of a box where you usually toss coins in before you pray, there's a big stage where. Also, people were lining up to get their fortune told. While you can also get your fortune told in temples in Malaysia, the amount that you offer is usually up to your own digression. Here in Japan, you pay a fixed amount. On that day, I had the option to pay 200 yen for a basic fortune, or 500 yen for what I think was a higher grade (better luck perhaps?). Anyway, I was quite lucky to get a good fortune, my very first omikuji （おみくじ）.
If you are in Japan, don't miss the great opportunity to open your eyes and heart by celebrating new year in a temple. Let me briefly describe how I spent my New Year's eve and the first day of the year. The map that you see shows Nara park （奈良公園） which is located towards the East of Nara city. There are many temples and shrines here, amongst them, the famous Todaiji temple （東大寺） which is said to be the largest wooden structure in the world.
① I alighted from the Kintetsu Nara （近鉄奈良） train station and worked-up an appetite for dinner by walking aimlessly around the station. There wasn't many places open that day, so I settled for an udon and curry rice set meal. Having had a very satisfying dinner, I walked East casually towards Nara park. It was 9 pm, and only a few people were scattered along the way. But the yatai were already lining the streets, ready for their customers.
② I reached Nigatsu-do （二月堂）, literally February hall, some 1 hour later. From its balcony you can have a bird's eye view of Nara city. There, I rested for a good half an hour before making my way down.
③ Midway between Nigatsu-do and Todaiji is a huge shoro （鐘楼） or bell tower. About 400 people were already lining up to strike the bell at the stroke of midnight. This was the highlight of New Year's eve. Waiting patiently for 1 hour out in the cold winter night was not something everyone would like to do, but the wait was worth it. If I remembered correctly our group was number #48, so about 376 people had already struck the bell. When it was our turn, 8 of us would pull big thick ropes that is connected to a huge tree trunk, not unlike a battering ram, and let go. The bell gave a resounding gong and we were all very pleased with ourselves. From there, I moved over to the Kasuga grand shrine.
④ Along the way, I had amazake （甘酒）. It's an alcoholic beverage made from rice and a little sweet. It tasted a bit like bubur charchar without the sweet potato. By now, the streets are already swelled with a crowd. It was begining to looks more like a summer matsuri （祭り）. There was a long line for Todaiji, so I decided to give that a miss. On the first day of New Year, I heard that the window pane that blocks the giant Buddha statue's head will be open to the public.
⑤ The line for Kasuga shrine （春日大社） was not short either. After a short detour to the surrounding smaller shrines, I made it into the grand shrine. But not before I got some more sake. It felt good to have hot sake in the cold winter. I finally understood why Russians likes vodka.
⑥ The grand shrine was pretty crowded. That's because instead of a box where you usually toss coins in before you pray, there's a big stage where. Also, people were lining up to get their fortune told. While you can also get your fortune told in temples in Malaysia, the amount that you offer is usually up to your own digression. Here in Japan, you pay a fixed amount. On that day, I had the option to pay 200 yen for a basic fortune, or 500 yen for what I think was a higher grade (better luck perhaps?). Anyway, I was quite lucky to get a good fortune, my very first omikuji （おみくじ）. It was already 3:30 am when I reached home. I was spent but otherwise quite happy on the first day of the year 2008. So how did you spend your New Year's eve/day?
My fortune for 2008 looks pretty good (beginner's luck, perhaps)
My fortune for 2008 looks pretty good (beginner's luck, perhaps)
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