New Year at Kanasana Shrine

Kanasana Shrine is a 1900-year-old shrine in Saitama. It is a unique shrine in that it venerates the mountain rather than a religious artifact like most other shrines. The shrine is located in the mountain town of Kamikawa in Saitama Prefecture but on the border of Gunma Prefecture. Within Saitama, it is one of the most famous places for ‘hatsumode’. The shrine is quiet for most of the year, but at New Year, it attracts thousands of visitors. People come to the shrine for “hatsumode”, the first worship of the year. The event is held annually between January 1st and 3rd. It is particularly busy on the 3rd because the nearby Daiko Fushoji Temple holds a Daruma market. The shrine normally opens from 9 am to 4 pm, but for the New Year period, the extended hours are from 8 am to 5 pm.