Hatsumōde is the Japanese New Year's custom of making the first shrine or temple visit of the year.
During hatsumōde, people visit a Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple to pray for health, safety, prosperity, and other hopes for the coming year. Many visits take place during the first days of January, rather than exactly at midnight. Major sites can attract enormous crowds, with visitors waiting in organized lines to approach the main worship area.
People may buy protective amulets, draw written fortunes called omikuji, and return charms from the previous year. Some visitors also wear formal or traditional clothing, including kimono. The practice reflects Japan's religious landscape, where Shinto and Buddhist customs are often observed alongside one another.
Hatsumōde is different from Shōgatsu, the broader Japanese New Year period. It is also different from hanami, the seasonal custom of viewing cherry blossoms, and Obon, a Buddhist season associated with honoring ancestors. The defining feature of hatsumōde is the first annual religious visit.