HAPPY NEW YEAR! A little too late though:-) It has been a while since I posted last because I have been quite busy lately. But finally I have time to write and today I would like to show you the photo of the first sunrise in 2019.
Many Japanese people go admiring the first sunrise on New Year’s Day. It is believed that seeing the first sunrise of the year is something happy and lucky. If you live in Tokyo, the sun rises at around 6:50 on New Year’s Day. Not too early.
This year, I visited Teganuma Lake in Abiko City. From the lake side, you can see the sun rises from the far end of the lake.
Our custom is that go to see the first sunrise, return home and have New Year dishes and then go out again to visit shrines. Following these traditions, I had New Year dishes and then visited a shrine nearby.

New Year’s dishes
All the foods are in the containers but when you serve, you put them into the multitiered lacquered box which may look more beautiful than the above photo:-)

Ne-no-kami Shrine