• 'Ema' (traditional Shinto plaques) displaying the hand-written messages and wishes of visitors are hung outside Yushima Tenjin Shrine in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward. In the Chinese zodiac, 2014 is a year associated with the horse. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
    "Ema" (traditional Shinto plaques) displaying the hand-written messages and wishes of visitors are hung outside Yushima Tenjin Shrine in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward. In the Chinese zodiac, 2014 is a year associated with the horse. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
  • Visitors to Tokyo's Yushima Tenjin Shrine tie white paper ribbons bearing written fortunes on to wooden racks. The ribbons are called 'o-mikuji,' which literally translates as 'sacred lottery.' | YOSHIAKI MIURA
    Visitors to Tokyo's Yushima Tenjin Shrine tie white paper ribbons bearing written fortunes on to wooden racks. The ribbons are called "o-mikuji," which literally translates as "sacred lottery." | YOSHIAKI MIURA
  • A young boy holds a 'hamaya' — an arrow sold at shrines and believed to ward off evil — while praying at Yushima Tenjin Shrine. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
    A young boy holds a "hamaya" — an arrow sold at shrines and believed to ward off evil — while praying at Yushima Tenjin Shrine. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
  • After dropping monetary offerings into a large container at the shrine entrance, visitors make silent prayers. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
    After dropping monetary offerings into a large container at the shrine entrance, visitors make silent prayers. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
  • Visitors wait until they reach the shrine entrance before making prayers for the new year. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
    Visitors wait until they reach the shrine entrance before making prayers for the new year. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
  • A long line of visitors snakes out of Yushima Tenjin Shrine on the first morning of 2014. | YOSHIAKI MIURA
    A long line of visitors snakes out of Yushima Tenjin Shrine on the first morning of 2014. | YOSHIAKI MIURA

  • Staff report

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Major shrines and temples nationwide were packed Wednesday morning as people made “hatsumode” (first visit of a place of worship) to pray for good fortune in the coming year.

At the renowned Yushima Tenjin Shrine in Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward, thousands of visitors, including many women clad in traditional kimono, proceeded toward the main shrine building to make “saisen” monetary offerings.

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