A worshipper at Himonya Hachimangu Shrine prays in front of an offertory box covered with a white cloth

Worshipper at Himonya Hachimangu Shrine
Man praying at Himonya Hachimangu Shrine
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I couldn't fully enjoy the buoyant mood peculiar to the first visit of the year to the temple after paying a visit to Enyu-ji Temple, so I decided to go to a Shinto shrine this time to satisfy my lack. I went to Himonya Hachimangu Shrine, not far from Enyu-ji Temple.

The atmosphere of Himonya Hachimangu Shrine was different from that of Enyu-ji Temple from the moment I walked along the approach. There were a few food stalls, creating a slightly different atmosphere. As I walked through the stalls, I found myself at the end of the line. Even if you don't want to go to a Tendai temple for Hatsumode, there are many people who want to go to Himonya Hachimangu Shrine, the local Shinto shrine, and there was a line of people waiting for their turn to pray. It was the complete opposite of the empty Enyu-ji Temple. This is how a New Year's visit should be.

I lined up at the back of the line, but the line didn't move very fast. It took a long time for each person to pay their respects. Maybe it's because of the COVID-19 pandemic, or maybe it's because of the recession, but the number of things each person has to ask of the gods is increasing. I want the plague to go away, I want my family to be healthy, I don't want to get into a traffic accident, I want my work to go well, and I don't want to be short of money. In that light, I had a lot of things I wanted to ask for, too.

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日本語
Feb 2022 PEOPLE TOKYO

PHOTO DATA

No

12182

Shooting Date

Jan 2022

Posted On

February 20, 2022

Modified On

January 23, 2024

Place

Himonya, Tokyo

Genre

Candid Photography

Camera

RICOH GR III

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