Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on December 2009

New York has Times Square and its ball, but when New Year’s Eve hits the Kanto plain, a considerable number of its 30 million inhabitants head to Tokyo’s shrines. The first visit of the year, or hatsumode, is considered the most auspicious. Crowds elbow their way through popular shrines like Meiji Jingu in Harajuku, which usually gets somewhere in the region of 3 million visitors, and Sensoji in Asakusa, which is a popular place to pray for health and wealth (or success in university entrance exams). Preferred visiting hours are during nighttime, when the shrines are brightly lit, alive with sound and activity, and gussied up for the occasion with yatai food stalls and omiyage souvenir shops.

Tip: Steer clear of the crowds by avoiding Jan 1, or head to your local neighborhood shrine instead.