Happy New Year - 2008

New Year passed relatively well and we continued to eat, drink, and be merry. I 'saw the bells in' in our apartment in Tokyo and then headed to my local bar (Bo Jangles) to continue the celebrations. The craic was good and all the customers were in party mood. I was left alone in the bar at around 2am when all the customers headed to the local shrine to pay their respects. I turned down their invitation to join them and relaxed in the empty bar drinking my beer. I staggered home at about 3.30am and tried to mentally prepare myself to be woken up at 9.30am so we could all join Yuki's parents for a special New Years brunch.

Everyone filed to the family shrine (in a spare room) to light incense and pay their respects to the family ancestors. I thought that it was a nice way to include those who have passed away in our thoughts during this special occasion. I suppose religion does have its benefits after all.... The photo is an example of a typical family shrine, although perhaps on the large side.

Once we all returned downstairs, we all sat at the large kotatsu table and had a short toast in Japanese and English. The Japanese family members all tucked into an expensive array of assorted seafood whilst I experienced the delight of a good old ham salad. I have never liked seafood so I was quite happy with what I was given. Sometimes I feel a bit of a liability at family dinner times as an extra dish usually needs to be prepared for myself. I have come to the conclusion that I will never come to like seafood - a big shame in Japan.

The early afternoon on New Years Day passed quietly and then I met up with an old Japanese friend to continue the celebrations. We headed to Yasaka Shrine, near my apartment, and I was able to watch the natives perform their rituals. We queued for about 30 minutes and then made a small cash donation, rang the temple bell, and clapped our hands twice to ostensibly pray. I was wondering whether the people who made the effort to visit the shrine actually had some religious beliefs or were there because it is 'the thing to do' at New Year.

Outside the shrine, there was a small bonfire that seemed to be burning the old fittings from 2007. I guess it's a kind of 'out with the old and in with the new' scenario. If anyone can enlighten me further, it would be appreciated.

Once we left the shrine, we found the only bar that was open and continued to enjoy ourselves.

So now it is 2008 and the year promises to hold many challenges. Hopefully I'll be able to regain some blogging momentum and produce a few more stories from my time in Japan. Happy 2008!!