It's a Japanese tradition to visit a shrine or temple during the New Year holidays to pray for good fortune. So I expected Kinomiya Shrine to be super busy for New Year's day.
Legend says that some 1300 years ago, a fisherman met a young boy who asked to enshrine his statue in a cave with 7 camphor trees, and he will protect everyone who comes here.
Staff were on hand to control the crowds entering into the prayer area.
The shop was selling some local specialty snacks for the special occasion, such as these balls in red bean soup as well as alcohol.
Behind the shrine is a huge camphor tree that is believed to be over 2100 years old. Visitors can walk counter-clockwise around the massive trunk to pray for an extra year of longevity and your wish to come true.
While crowded, it was orderly and people are courteous despite being crammed into a small area. The shrine is just a short walk from Kinomiya station on the JR's Ito Line, 1 stop from Atami's main station.
