On 2 January 2024, I went to Atsuta Jingu Shrine in Nagoya for Hatsumode. Atsuta Jingu is one of the three major Shinto shrines in Japan and is known for enshrining the Kusanagi Sword, one of the three sacred weapons.
What is special about Atsuta Jingu.
Atsuta Jingu has long been revered by the imperial family. The Kusanagi Sword is one of the three sacred treasures given to Niniginomikoto, the descendant of Amaterasu who is the supreme god when she hid in Ama-no-Iwato in Japanese mythology. Possession of these three sacred treasures is regarded as proof of the emperor’s legitimacy, and the Kusanagi Sword enshrined at Atsuta Jingu is believed to be the actual sword.
Hatsumode at Atsuta Shrine.
On the day of Hatsumode, the shrine was crowded with worshippers anyway. Along the roadside, there were many stalls selling good luck charms and omikuji, and many people were enjoying shopping.
Once inside the precincts, the area was overflowing with worshippers. Police were even deployed to control traffic within the precincts. The procession could not walk and often stopped.
In the middle of the procession, a large television was set up and showed the events of the year at Ise Jingu Shrine. One of them showed the emperor’s imperial envoys coming to the shrine in the old-fashioned way.
In the precincts of Atsuta Jingu.
There were many old trees planted in the precincts of the shrine. The trees were covered in moss, from which ferns called Lepisorus thunbergianus grew and others.
A large cloth was laid out in the square, towards which we threw money and put our hands together to wish for a happy year. Again, there was no praise to the gods, and most people just told their wishes to the gods for 10 to 20 seconds.
For another 1000 yen or so, you could enter the inner sanctum of the temple to pray, but photography was prohibited, so no photos are available. I went in, but again, it was only possible to pray near the sanctuary of the temple, and all the people there seemed to just put their hands together for about 10 seconds to tell their wishes to the deity.
There was also a pond in the precincts and a space by it where worshippers could eat. In addition, there was a museum showing the treasures held by the Atsuta Jingu Shrine and a display of fine swords donated by the shrine.
Overall review of Atsuta Jingu.
Atsuta Jingu is one of the three major shrines in Japan, and was a shrine with a rich history and tradition. It gets very crowded during Hatsumode, but I think that is one of the charms of Atsuta Jingu.
I would like to recommend a visit to foreigners as well.
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