New Years in Japan

Happy 2022 everyone! I really hope this year will bring some more joy in life, since the last two basically sucked for a lot of us. Really hoping this year will be a year where more of us will be able to properly move forward from any setbacks they've faced from COVID.

I don't know how 2022 will be, but as I was doing my solo shrine visit(s) this year in the countryside (gotta get away from the people!), I'm told that this is one of my "disaster years" (厄年)...

Most Japanese shrines will have a sign like this saying split by gender and age. Of course, I for one believe that I am the maker of my own destiny, and a lot of things that may seem negative at first could have a positive overall outcome (in the distant future). So who knows?

There are definitely things in life that no matter how one spins it, it will always be negative. So let's all pray it never comes down to that...

An extra prayer and some extra shrine visits might rectify it... maybe..

That fortune does say VERY GOOD LUCK. So... a negative & positive... nullified?

I can't say I'm a religious person at all, but I do like to partake in these shrine visits in the beginning of the year. I see it a cultural thing more than anything. Most Japanese people who go to shrines and do their first shrine visit of the year are probably not religious themselves. It's just a habit.

Also it gives me a sense of security? And guidance? Growing up, I've always had someone telling me what to do and watching over me, and now that I'm an adult, I feel like I need some kind of a higher power that's not other adults to guide me. So while I don't 100% believe in these things, I do think they provide a good sort of... safety net. Grounding, if you will.

Japanese people also have a bunch of foods they like to eat to welcome the new year.

It's calls Osechi, and I think this LEGO build has the right idea:

I don't eat it because it's just so expensive to pay premade, too time consuming to make myself and for myself only, and I am a picky eater... so if you probably take out all the things I don't eat in it, it's basically just a normal Japanese meal for me LOL. Not worth the effort in my opinion.

But if you do have a chance to stay at a Ryokan during the new year in Japan, your place of stay may offer up some version of Osechi for breakfast -

The food offered in the wooden box is part of Osechi. Unfortunately what was offered were the items I don't eat... but I was taught to have manners and to at least try it, so I did take a few bites. Just not my thing I guess.

The rest of the breakfast was lovely though.

I hope you guys are having a good new years so far!