Akemashite omedetou-gozaimasu!
Back on the internet after a long while; so many posts to catch up on @-@
Well I had a quiet week of being sick in bed, but finally better! Spent NYE at a Japanese friend's house; it sort of felt like a home stay. After midnight, we went with a group of her friends to do the 'first visit to the shrine for the year' thing. 'Hatsu moude', I think it's called. There was a bonfire, and then we went to the shrine to pick omikuji (the paper fortune thing). I got 'dai kichi' - big good luck - and no 2, which was the highest. Before I knew it, everyone was giving me 1000 yen, getting 5000 yen in total (about $62). Lucky! And it just covered the karaoke bill afterwards too.
Getting the good omikuji is supposed to mean I'll have a good year this year. But I feel like 2006 was my good year. Hopefully this year will be good too.
The proper way to pray at a shrine:
- Throw 5 yen coin into the box (五円 ＝ ご縁 go-en "(1) chance; fate; fated romantic tie; destiny; (2) relation (between two people); bonds; personal connection; karma; affinity")
- Pull the rope hanging down and jangle the bells hanging up the top
- Clap twice, then close eyes and bow head
Don't forget to take your hat off when praying! >.< ...
Well I had a quiet week of being sick in bed, but finally better! Spent NYE at a Japanese friend's house; it sort of felt like a home stay. After midnight, we went with a group of her friends to do the 'first visit to the shrine for the year' thing. 'Hatsu moude', I think it's called. There was a bonfire, and then we went to the shrine to pick omikuji (the paper fortune thing). I got 'dai kichi' - big good luck - and no 2, which was the highest. Before I knew it, everyone was giving me 1000 yen, getting 5000 yen in total (about $62). Lucky! And it just covered the karaoke bill afterwards too.
Getting the good omikuji is supposed to mean I'll have a good year this year. But I feel like 2006 was my good year. Hopefully this year will be good too.
The proper way to pray at a shrine:
- Throw 5 yen coin into the box (五円 ＝ ご縁 go-en "(1) chance; fate; fated romantic tie; destiny; (2) relation (between two people); bonds; personal connection; karma; affinity")
- Pull the rope hanging down and jangle the bells hanging up the top
- Clap twice, then close eyes and bow head
Don't forget to take your hat off when praying! >.< ...