Hatsumoude in Hawaii 2012 (^^)
Most Japanese are off work from December 29 until January 3. It is during this time that the house is cleaned, debts are paid, friends and family are visited and gifts are exchanged. It would be customary to spend the early morning of New Year's Day in domestic worship, followed by sake—often containing edible gold flakes—and special celebration food. During the hatsumōde, it is common for men to wear a full kimono—one of the rare chances to see them doing so across a year[citation needed]. The act of worship is generally quite brief and individual and may involve queuing at popular shrines. The o-mamori vary substantially in price.
Some shrines and temples have millions of visitors over the three days. Meiji Jingū for example had 3.45 million visitors in 1998, and in the first three days of January 2010, 3.2 million people visited Meiji Jingū, 2.98 million Narita-san, 2.96 million Kawasaki Daishi, 2.7 million Fushimi Inari Taisha, and 2.6 million Sumiyoshi Taisha.[1][2] Other popular destinations include Atsuta Jingū, Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū, Dazaifu Tenman-gū, and Hikawa Jinja[which?].[3]
A common custom during hatsumōde is to buy a written oracle called omikuji. If your omikuji predicts bad luck you can tie it onto a tree on the shrine grounds, in the hope that its prediction will not come true. The omikuji goes into detail, and tells you how you will do in various areas in your life, such and business and love, for that year. Often a good-luck charm comes with the omikuji when you buy it, that is believed to summon good luck and money your way. Taken from Wikipedia.
Good morning Ebreebodee! (^^) It is already four days into 2012. What are your goals for this year? My good internet friend and fellow karateka, Sensei Cook, sent me this video on two of his senior aged students. It reminded me of my two senior citizen students Ookoshi Senpai and Iwaskai Senpai in Yokohama. They too started karate in their mid 50s, perservered in thier training and made Shodan. The two Senpais are an important part of what makes Yokohama Dojo today as they provide William a young Shihandai and the kids with their wisdom gained through the many years of living.
Karate is not just being able to punch and kick, it is to help all of us become better members of society and to contribute to the development of peace. Well, enjoy the video!
http://youtu.be/bay1BGYEsW4
Makiki Dojo Bulletin
Our first practice for Makiki Dojo is this Saturday! Don't forget the Pot Luck that Follows!
Blog Notice
I have now combined the Kimura Dojo Blog into this Japan-Hawaii- New York Blog.
木村道場ブロッグとこのブロッグを合体しました！宜しくお願いいたします。
なお、FBのKimura Dojoスレッドは継続しまが内容は省略します。
Recent News
Yokohama Dojo members who participated in New Year Sunrise Keiko at
Negishi Shirin Park. They greeted the NY with 1,000 tsukis and keris!
Seems as though no snow this years in Yokohama (^^)
Lao Tzu
"Of all
that is good, sublimity is supreme. Succeeding is the coming together of all
that is beautiful. Furtherance is the agreement of all that is just.
Perseverance is the foundation of all actions."
Laozi (Chinese: 老子; pinyin: Lǎozǐ; Wade–Giles: Lao Tzu; also romanized as Lao Tse, Lao
Tu, Lao-Tsu, Laotze, Laosi, Laocius, and other
variations) was a philosopher of ancient
China, best known
as the author of the Tao Te Ching (often simply referred to as Laozi).[1] His association with the Tao Te
Ching has led him to be traditionally considered the founder of
philosophical Taoism
(pronounced as "Daoism"). He is also revered as a deity in most
religious forms of Taoist
philosophy, which often refers to Laozi as Taishang Laojun, or "One
of the Three Pure Ones From Wikipedia
