New Year’s Fes 2020 (Part I)

On yesterday the 9th, we went to the festival of God Ebisu to greet a new year. This year, we visited Hattori Shrine in Toyonaka. Toyonaka is a place where we had our office before we had our headquarters in Nishiyodogawa. Thus we often visit Hattori Shrine ever since our foundation.

Hattori shrine is a place to worship the god of the feet. According to the Hattori Shrine website, here is the reason why:

A long time ago, the Hata clan from Korea migrated to present day Toyonaka, and erected a miniature shrine to worship the god of medicine, Sukunabikona. A few hundred years later, a man named Michizane Sugawara suffered from a disease on his leg when he passed Toyonaka. The villagers that inhabited this district at that time suggested Sugawara to visit the shrine to wish for his feet to heal. Amazingly, his feet got better.

Thus the present day Hattori Shrine being worshipped for the god of the feet.

First, we decided to visit the main shrine with Amo-san.

However, since it’s Amo-san’s first time to visit Hattori Shrine with such a noisy crowd, he was frightened to move and hid to a quieter place.

We had Amo-san take photos with a beautiful shrine maiden. We assume that he liked her so much.

The lucky charms were on sale!

There were lots of people bringing their pets with them, but Amo-san gained attention with his hakama outfit.

We will now navigate inside the shrine. The worship hall was installed a hundred fifty years after Sugawara’s death in 1952. There were lots of people visiting and worshipping.

We also got to see the statue of Michizane Sugawara. Here you offer zouri sandals as a symbol of well-being.

Then we have the hitting board. You hit the board for prosperity after you pray at the main gate twice.

Here are our staff members hitting the board for our prosperity.

This year, we purchased a lucky rake and a lucky bamboo. We wish for everyone to have a good luck this year.

We had Amo-san take a picture with the lucky charms in front of our company front entrance.

Here are how things look when we close the shutter down.

We visited again on the 10th. We were lucky to go on such a sunny day.

There were more people than yesterday.

The shrine maiden rang their bells for those who purchased lucky charms.

There were so many maidens granting everyone luck.

We also got to encounter a foreign maiden as well. She was very adorable.

From the 9th to 11th, lots of booth were operating and the crowd were gathering around. Tomorrow is the last day of the festival of God Ebisu, so now is the chance to visit!

Click here for New Year Fes 2020 (Part II)