In keeping with tradition, Tsubaki Grand Shrine was refreshingly renewed on the first day of the New Year of 1997. According to the Police reports, the main approach, the Sando, saw around 150,000 visits on the first three days, and within the first seven days, approximately half a million worshippers coming to hatsu-mode, the first shrine visit of the New Year.

Special signs were set up at street corners and road junctions to guide the thousands of pedestrians and cars safely to and from, as well as within the shrine precincts. The Musubino-kai, the Musubi Group of the parishioners of Yamamoto village cleaned up the sanctuaries and changed the great sacred rope installed in the Tsubakigishi Shrine, Ame-no-uzume-no-mikoto Shrine. New pebbles were laid in the main approach by volunteer senior citizens, and from four in the afternoon, the Great Purification Cceremony (Ohahai) commenced in order to remove the impurities accumulated in the year past.

Crowds began to gather from 10 at night, and traffic congestion began from the Suzuka Interchange of the Higashi Meihan Expressway all the way up to the shrine. Exactly at midnight, as the sound of the grate drum signalled the beginning of the New Year, swarms of visitors, who had waited with hope in their hearts for the New Year, shouted with joy to celebrate the occasion, making monetary offerings in the boxes laid out in front of the main sanctuary.

In spite of it being a cold and windy night, the crowds, undaunted made their ways to the front of the sanctuary in turn to offer their prayers and clap their hands in salution of the kami. With their invocations completed, worshipper then moved to the special appointed booths to purchase Ofuda ( sacred protective tablets), Omamori ( protective talismen ), Hamaya ( arrows to break misfortune) and kumade ( rakes to symbolize prosperity), and other items such as Eto clay bells and Ittobori ( carving with a single knife), all of which are typical New Years Charm to induce good fortune. To keep out the cold, Amazake , a sweetened hot sake, was offered free to all warshippers. Fukubukuro ( happy bags ) were also on sale and as always quickly sold out.

Following the performance of Saitansai, the New Year's prayers continued. Visitors included individuals as well as groups. Parishioners (Sukeikai), member of Tsubaki Ko ( cell of 20 or more Tsubaki members ) and Tsubaki Kai ( members of Tsubaki Associations nationwide all joined. These members represent almost every profession and all walks of life. They united to pray for the prosperity, helth, and wellbeing of the nation and the Imperial Family as well as for their own families, their businesses, and for the peace of the world.

Next to the sanctuary, High Priest Yamamoto received hundreds of visitors and well wishers, and spoke at great length to everyone on the meaning of Shinto rituals, and on his prognosis for 1997. Outside, other priests were busy purifying cars and vans to ask for their safety for the coming year.

In body and in mind, in soceity and in home, New year had come.

1997 article