Meijijingah Temple – New Years Day

In Australia, on New Years Day we normally go to the beach to chill out. Not religiously but often. But in Japan, people spend the first day of the New Year visiting the temple.

We visited a temple in order to see what this looks like and I suppose to see how dedicated or involved people really are to this tradition. We traveled to Harajuku and awaited the line at Mijijingah Temple (the lanterns on the right looked amazing as we walked down the big long entrance .. but don't be fooled, its just fancy advertising! Cool hey!)

Sure there were a lot of people and the line was long and wide, but we thought hmm maybe an hour and we will see the temple. But….once we joined the line we had no idea what we were up for! 2 hours and 45 mins later we left the temple! It was insane! The line that we thought was entering the temple was only half the length and it was the same length again around the corner (that we could not see from where we were!). Once we were in the sea of people, police man on mega phones announced “once you’re in the line please do not turn back”. So we were stuck! And in Japan you don't break the rules :)

Crazily everyone waited quietly and calmly, seemingly not phased by the wait. However, they do line up for cold stone (like our cold rock) in 7 degrees for 50mins to receive their ice-cream! (The other day we looked at the Krispy Kreme line and it indicated with a sign you will wait over 1 hour to get to the counter!)

At the temple the Japanese people who have been waiting so long, move to the front to throw money at the shrine and say a prayer. They then move on into a side show area where they do the following things. 1 - Write their prayers or wishes on wooden blocks and hang them in on big boards. Of the ones we read, they ask for things like health, family protection and world peace (one person asked to become ‘the best’). These wooden cards are blank on one side and have a picture of a boar on the other as it is the year of the boar. 2 - Following this, they go to another area in the temple where they buy things. Not quite sure what they do but they are arrow like things and small ornaments which are symbolic of something to do with the New Year. 3 - They also buy a ‘good luck card’. It comes on a small piece of white paper and it predicts your luck for the year. It would really suck on the first day of the year if you got a bad one! 4 - After reading them, each person ties it to a string line and leaves.

It was an interesting experience, and I don’t think I can really explain what I thought about it at this time.

I suppose one thing we can learn from this, is the value maybe of starting the New Year before

God. Reflecting on the year that has been, bringing our heart desires and prayers before Him. Taking time out, to put aside the New Year to Him. The good thing is, we do not have to line up for 2.5hours with 1000’s of others to be near Him! Nor do we need to buy his love. He is

personal and He already paid the price! He lives with us everyday, showing His commitment, love and desire to be known by us, through the sacrifice of his son Jesus. He is good, loving and faithful. May we all know this a bit more in 2007!

I hope you are all well,

Melissa