[Ninen Mairi in Kyoto]
On New Year's Eve 2024, I went south on foot from Heian Shrine in Kyoto to Chion-in Temple and Yasaka Shrine, and did “ninen mairi” for the first time in my life. Ninen mairi is a form of hatsumode (New Year's visit) in which people visit shrines and temples after midnight on New Year's Eve.
Apparently, it is a dialect of some areas in Niigata and Nagano prefectures. My mother, who is from Niigata, suggested that we should visit shrines and temples for two years if we are going to pass the New Year in Kyoto. Shijo Street is a pedestrian zone from around 23:00 on New Year's Eve, and when I took a city bus through Shijo Street at around 22:30, the area around Yasaka Shrine was already overflowing with people. To avoid the crowds, I went to Heian Shrine first, and when I arrived at Heian Shrine around 23:00, there were a moderate number of people, partly because the shrine grounds are large, and there were many food stalls lined up.
We had already eaten dinner, but we first enjoyed oden, jagabata, motsunabe, beer, etc. at the food stalls to fill up. It was not that cold since we were warmed up and some stalls had seats available for us. As we waited in line for a little while to start praying at midnight, we heard the voices of people starting the countdown. Gradually, those voices bunched up, and when the year came to a close with “3! 2! 1!,” the mood was one of congratulations and “Happy New Year” from all over the place. As the procession of worshippers begins, the line goes on and on, and after successfully completing the first Hatsumode of the New Year, walking toward the south, you will arrive at Chion-in Temple in a few minutes.
Chion-in Temple is also known for the “Yukutoshi Kurutoshi” bell ringing on New Year's Eve. The great bell of Chion-in Temple is one of the “three great temple bells in Japan,” and 16 monks strike the bell 108 times over the course of the year. Since the bell ringing was over, I saw Chion-in Temple illuminated, which was solemn and quite powerful. Food stalls continue to be set up around Chion-in Temple and on the road to Yasaka Shrine. As I walked around with a bottle of hot wine and a frank roll in my hand, I found a stall selling “grilled bamboo shoots” and did a double-take. It was interesting to pay attention to the stalls, some of which I had not seen before and which are typical of the Kansai region.
On New Year's Day, Shijo Street in front of Yasaka Shrine was a pedestrian paradise, reminding me of the Gion Festival. Compared to the Gion Festival, it was late at night, so there were fewer people, red lanterns were lit, and the air was cool and still. I feel that this culture was born in Japan, where there are shrines and temples all over the country. I like to spend New Year's Eve relaxing at home watching Kohaku (red and white), so I cannot do it every year, but I was able to fully enjoy the New Year's spirit and have a good start to the year 2025. I would like to do ninen mairi again, not only in Kyoto, but somewhere in Japan.
Heian Shrine
https://maps.app.goo.gl/P23ydY4YTPW2AzdU7
Chion-in Temple
https://maps.app.goo.gl/LFPfPVfsr5UZiuLx6
Yasaka Shrine
https://maps.app.goo.gl/UBPNt85m7dLjp5eu9
References
https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E4%BA%8C%E5%B9%B4%E5%8F%82%E3%82%8A
https://www.heianjingu.or.jp/shrine/jingu_event.html
https://www.chion-in.or.jp/special/joya/
https://www.yasaka-jinja.or.jp/event/shougatsu/
