Special Events @Gokoku Shrine

Do you have any plans for New Year's Eve or New Year's Day?

Right next to one of the most popular sights in Hiroshima, Hiroshima Castle, there is a shrine called Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine and they are having special events from Dec 31st to Jan 1st.

--EVENTS ---------------
◎Dec 31st  17:00～　大祓式・除夜祭　

　　　　New Year's Eve  Celemony
◎Jan 1st   0:00～　初神楽奉奏（巫女舞）　Kagura
                 10:00～ 歳旦祭　New Year's Day Celemony 

 .... and more!
--------------------------- 

On New Year's Day many Japanese go to the shrine in order to make New Year's wishes for happiness.This is called Hatsumoude.Every year many people.... more than 600,000 people visit Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine（広島護国神社) in the first three days of the new year for that.

◆Access　 Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine（広島護国神社)
Take a Tram No.2 or 6 to Kamiyacho-Higashi stop from Hiroshima Sta.
Another 8min walk to the shrine
Have a good New Year's holiday!

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊ Be Careful ! ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
The Peace Memorial Museum will be closed on Dec 30th and 31st.

However,the Peace Memorial park will be opened all day and you can see the Atomic Bomb Dome.

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CountDown fire festival at Saioto ski resort

How do you spend New year's day Eve?

 If you have no plan, I suggest you a countdown party in Saioto ski resort. You can see 3000 of fire works and lives of some bands after skiing.  They are going to keep the field open until 17o'klock on the New year's day. So you can even ski after the party!!
 
when: 12/31 22:00 ~
place: Utopia Saioto Ski Resort
web: http://www.saioto.co.jp/news/?p=1033

Happy New Year!!

Chinksai Festival in Miyajima

Konnichiwa from Hiroshima Hanahostel. It's Kana here.
I just can NOT believe that year 2018 will arrive in few weeks.
I feel like I'm losing my memory for last half year. I can't believe how time goes by so fast.

How was your year 2017? I hope all of you had great one so far.

If you have any opportunity to visit Japan for new year eve, here is my little tips.

We have great world heritage "MIYAJIMA" in Hiroshima. They hold great traditional festival on new year eve. It called "Chinksai"

 
They set up an altar lighting the fire at the shrine refinement and after the ceremony was completed by the master, trasfer the fire to the torch and transfer to the large bunch of the pine tree set up at the Mikasanohama beach.
and they will put a fire on a large torch from a big bow.
Meanwhile townspeople of Miyajima make torches of various sizes from large pine tree with 20 to 30 people to carry and about 50cm and gather at Mikasanohama beach in the evening.

After turn off the fire and take out the extinguished pieces of pine tree ,and take it home and give it to the godshelf and make it a one year fire avoidance amulet.

Why don't you join them and have some special Japanese traditional culture!!
Only for once a year on New year eve!

Date:2017 Dec 31 from 6pm
Place:Miyajima