In Japanese New Year superstition, what kind of visit is traditionally made to a Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple?

In Japanese New Year superstition, the first visit of the year to a Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple is called hatsumōde.

People make hatsumōde during the first days of January to pray for health, safety, happiness, and prosperity in the coming year. Visitors may buy protective amulets, draw fortunes called omikuji, and return old charms for ritual disposal. Major shrines can attract very large crowds during this period.

The practice developed from older New Year observances and is not limited to one religious institution. Japanese people may visit either a Shinto shrine or a Buddhist temple, reflecting the country’s long history of overlapping religious customs.

Hatsumōde is sometimes translated simply as “New Year’s visit,” but the crucial point is that it is the first worship visit of the year. It is distinct from ordinary shrine visits made later in January or during other festivals.