O-shogatsu, Hatsumoude and Hakone ekiden

"O-shogatsu" is the New Year holidays in Japan and one usually observed enthusiastically. Our office closed on 29th December afternoon and will reopen on 5th January only. It is very rare to see Japanese taking such long breaks.
On 3rd of January, Osawa san invited me to join him and Subbarayan san for a trip to Tokyo. After some misadventures, a visit to Sogo store and a cup of Indian Tea at Nirvana Spice Cafe in the Yokohama station 6th floor, we finally started our journey at 12.45 from Yokohama.

When we arrived in Shibakoen station and emerged into the streets, there were large crowds lining up the roads and cheering runners on the road. Osawa san told us it is the Hakone Ekiden race Tokyo's Otemachi business district and the spa resort of Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture, a distance of 217.9 km. While we were there, Ryo Takami of Toyo University won the race in 11 hrs, 10 min and 13 seconds.

"Hatsumoude" is the Japanese tradition of offering prayers for the first time in the New Year. Osawa san guided me and Subbarayan san to the shrine called Zojoji in Tokyo to witness the rush of people coming there to offer Hatsumode. Zojoji Temple is the chief temple of the Jodo-Buddist sect. It was originally founded in 1393.

The Sanmon, the main gate to the Zojoji Temple, seen above, was built in 1605. It is constructed in a Chinese Tang Dynasty style and is a rare example of early Edo-period architecture. (The Edo period, or Tokugawa period, is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868 and is the premodern era).


There were hundreds of people arriving to the temple to offer Hatsumoude. We went inside with them. What greeted us was the breathtaking view of a golden shrine with the priest chanting prayers.

People were seen putting money into the collection box and offering prayers in Indian style with both their hands held together.
When we got out of the shrine we found people writing their wishes and tying it to a pine tree. Like in Hindu custom, their was a fire burning in the courtyard.

We moved on and saw rows of small doll like statues lined in rows on one side of the courtyard.

We were told that these are statues of "jizobosatusu", the protector of the souls of stillborn children and the Buddhist equivalent of an angel. Mothers who have lost an unborn child may dedicate an image of the deity and decorate it with baby clothes and toys.
We then went on to the nearby Tokyo Tower, which is the tallest self-supporting steel structure in the world at 332.5 meters / 1091 ft (ahead of Eiffel tower which is 320 m).

After waiting in the Que for an hour, we went up to the main observation floor, but the atmosphere was cloudy and the view was not so good. On the way down, we ate lunch from Tokyo Curry lab on the 2nd floor of the Tower - Chicken curry and rice!

After that we walked to the JR line station and went on to Akihabara, the electronic shopping district.


Couple of hour of window shopping and some shopping, we were tired and got back into the train to Yokohama. After saying good bye to Osawa san and Subbarayan san, I went back into the 6th floor of Sogo and bought the Hina dolls form the traditionally dressed Japanese lady.