New Year s scenes from Hokkaido and Kyoto Dozens of amateur photographers gathered over the New Year holiday in a village in Hokkaido that is known for its red-crowned cranes. The bird is designated as a special natural monument of Japan.
More than 40 shutterbugs congregated before dawn on Saturday in Tsurui Village, where the temperature had plunged to minus 22 degrees Celsius.
Unlike the Japan Sea side of the prefecture where heavy snow was falling, the photographers in Tsurui Village on the Pacific side were able to snap photos of the birds as they took to the sky against the glow of the rising sun.
The first four main shrines are called Sumiyoshi-zukuri, all of which are designated national treasures
Sumiyoshi Taisha is one of the go-to Hatsumode spots for Osaka locals, drawing in nearly 2 million visitors every year. It is a special place in the hearts of many people, not only from Osaka, but from all over.
The architectural style of the Sumiyoshi-zukuri main shrine is the oldest in the history of shrinearchitecture. People come here to pray for good luck, prosperity in business, traffic safety, warding off evil, happy marriage, and easy childbirth.
Every New Year s Eve, the gate is crowded with visitors. At midnight, the drums are struck, applause rings throughout, and the shrine precincts grow lively with people praying for the happiness of the New Year.