Why do Japanese people visit shrines on New Year’s Day?

Why do millions of Japanese people quietly walk to shrines and temples at the beginning of the year?
They line up in silence, wash their hands, bow, clap, and whisper wishes.
Is it religion? Tradition? Or something deeper—something unspoken?

Hatsumode (初詣) is the first shrine or temple visit of the year.
But it is not simply about making a wish.

At its core, Hatsumode is about:

• greeting the new year

• resetting the heart and mind

• showing respect to the sacred space

• quietly wishing for health, safety, and harmony

Rather than asking for something big,
many Japanese people go to align themselves with the coming year.

During the first few days of January, you’ll see:

• families visiting shrines together

• people lining up patiently in silence

• hands being washed at the temizuya (water pavilion)

• coins gently placed, bells rung, heads bowed

• fortunes (omikuji) tied to branches

For many, it’s not about belief.
It’s about marking a moment—
the invisible border between last year and the next.

Shrines and temples are not theme parks.
They are considered sacred spaces.

The water at the temizuya is not for washing your face.
The rituals are not performances.

Each movement—
washing hands, bowing, clapping—
is a way of showing respect to the space,
to the people around you,
and to something greater than yourself.

Understanding this turns Hatsumode
from “something to watch”
into “something to quietly take part in.”

Why It Confuses Foreigners

Visitors often wonder:

• “Is this religious?”

• “Who are they praying to?”

• “Why do people go even if they don’t believe?”

In Japan, Hatsumode is less about faith
and more about relationship—
with time, place, and community.

You don’t need strong belief.
You only need awareness.

“Everyone looks so serious…
Are they all making wishes?”

“Some wish.
Some simply listen.”

“Listen to what?”

“To the silence between years.
A shrine is where time slows down—
so the heart can catch up.”

“So Hatsumode isn’t about asking?”

“No.
It is about greeting the year properly.”

Hatsumōde is not about asking the future to change.
It is about changing how you face it.

In that still moment—
between the old year and the new—
Japanese people simply bow, breathe, and begin again.