Hatsumode in Shimogamo Shrine
Hatsumode is usually thought of as January 1st, although it can be a few days later. People visit a shrine or sometimes temple and pray for comfort and health in the new year. It is very common to see women in kimono and quite a few men too. In the picture shown Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto, a UNESO World Heritage Site in the north of the city, in the early afternoon of January 1st.