At the beginning of each year, wifey and I visit our local temple to pay respects and exchange our amulets which we picked up the previous year.
Today's photos are taken on the Sony RX1 which I use to take all Smart Doll photos.
New Years Eve is best spent in Japan because its a peaceful event - folks flock to temples and shrines across Japan to pay their respects and make their new years wish - its generally a peaceful event.
We used to do the same for many years until we started to attend Comic Fiesta in Malaysia which is during the latter half of December - wifey and I would stay back to spend time with my dad so for the past 3 years we spent the new year in Malaysia.
One year, we passed through the center of Kuala Lumpur to be greeted with a horrendous atmosphere which resembled some sort of apocalypse - *all* roads were completely covered in streamer fodder, cans and a variety of rubbish while people ran around screaming making as much noise and litter as possible.
How do you normally spend your new years eve?
We need to fill out a form to get new charms (talismans) for 2015 - one for the office, home, and one for wifey and I to carry around.
Choose from one of the following and your charm will bestow upon you its power to protect, prevent or to fulfil your wishes.
-Ward off calamity
-Flourishing business
-Safety for family
-Good health
-Prayers are fulfilled
-Prevent my current illness from getting worse
-Save me from these rough seas
-Safety for family+Flourishing business combo pack
-Safety for family+Good health combo pack
I find it interesting how realistic these options are - there is no "Flourishing Business + Good health combo pack" - trying to grow a business myself, I can tell you that it has been challenging to keep good health while spending most of my time for the past few years trying to keep our ship above water.
Do any of you run your own business? What are your biggest challenges?
This is our local temple called Meguro Fudouson Ryusenji temple located in Meguro.
The temple was built in the year 808. In 1615, the temple was burned down in a fire but was restored under the Tokugawa shogunate in 1624.
Omikuji can either bring you good fortune like "you shall turn into a prince and be loved by all cute 2D girlies, shota, futanari and traps" or they may bring not so good (bad) fortune like "you shall turn into a futanari, shota or a trap" in which case you need to quickly tie the fortune to the fence provided so that it does not come true.
These are Ema - plaques of wood which you would write a wish on. In Akihabara, folks draw cute girlies on them.
Tis the year of the sheep - the year of Chitose.
I don't have deep knowledge of religion in Japan but from my observations I notice that many Japanese folks would practice religion when they are passing by a temple or shrine (usually to make a wish) and during times like when they are building a new house - the ground would first be blessed and purified before construction can begin. The term for this process is called Jichinsai 地鎮祭].
Apart from this, most Japanese folks don't practice religion on a regular basis and seems to be when something is needed or wished for.
...like this one has its mouth closed which keeps good spirits in. We have a pair at Culture Japan.
Outside the temple - folks line up outside this shop which sells unagi eels - I've tried it many times over the years wondering whether my tastebuds have become accustomed to the taste - but alas no - it still tastes like tablecloth.
Came across some nyans at Rinshi no Mori park.
I have a bad habit of taking my electric skateboard E-Go everywhere - it saves a lot of time but means I don't walk long distances much. Well at least when I get old I should still be able to board around due to muscle memory ^^;
The ministry of environment highlights a problem in japan where folks dump their pets in the park - I've seen signs by Meguro River specifically asking folks not to throw dead animals in the river...
Time for some lunch at my fave homemade gaff at Musashikoyama - Janie Jones.
And this is the one I chose to carry around with me in my wallet - "Good health."
I wanted to choose "Flourishing Business" but of late I realize that a flourishing business doesn't mean much when I'm dead as I want to be alive to see Mirai do well ^^
There has been many occasion where I try to squeeze as much work as possible out of a limited time frame - but then I usually fall sick due to lack of rest which slows down my productivity so I just end up back where I was ><