Record 99 mil visited shrines, temples over New Year

Friday 09th January, 03:03 PM JST

A record 99.39 million people, up 1.21 million from last year, visited shrines and temples throughout Japan during the first three days of 2009 to pray for happiness, the National Police Agency said Friday. An agency official attributed the figure, the largest on record since 1974, to relatively good weather and said, ‘‘There may be many people who prayed for economic recovery.’‘

Tokyo’s Meiji Jingu shrine was on top in terms of the number of visitors at 3.19 million, followed by Naritasan Shinshoji temple in Chiba Prefecture at 2.98 million and Kawasaki Daishi temple in Kanagawa Prefecture at 2.96 million.

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9 Comments

Disillusioned at 04:01 PM JST - 9th January

A sign of the times. People are turning to preyer to help them survive in the recession.
elbudamexicano at 04:12 PM JST - 9th January

I agree with you 100% but what is up with this pen name? why and what are you disillusioned about? Let us talk ok? We can have a very very happy New Year!
Noripinhead at 05:30 PM JST - 9th January

Why do they call it "hatsu" mode? Do they put their hearts into it? Shouldn't it be more like Depeche mode?
techall at 05:36 PM JST - 9th January

Hatsu meaning "first", first of the new year.
Sarge at 05:52 PM JST - 9th January

Nori - Good one.
some14some at 11:22 PM JST - 9th January

Excellent Job by National Police Agency, very important data for God.
realist at 11:40 PM JST - 9th January

Bunkum! Did someone actually sit down and count all these people? I dont believe it. Even if someone did manage to count all these people at every little shrine, what a waste of human effort and resources - and money. The only people to benefit from these hatsumode visits are the priests in the temples and shrines - just look at the Mercs they drive!
samsarks at 12:00 AM JST - 10th January

realist-i second you.i recently was at my wife's grandmom funeral and the priest who came to pray took 500,000yen.what a waste of money,i thought.visiting these shrines just renews their faith and ability in suicides.may they see the light
ptolemy at 04:24 PM JST - 10th January

And the nation is as godless today as it was before New Year. People only do this for appearance and out of "tradition". I asked a neighbor if he did so out of belief and he said: "No, we are just expected to." He explained in Japan "We are born Shinto, married Christian and buried Buddhist." No faith involved, just appearance.