Hatsuhinode, meaning “first sunrise” - is a tradition that many Japanese people look forward to. Early in the morning of January 1, Japanese people welcome the first sunlight of the new year together.
To welcome the first sunrise of the year, many places hold special events: Temples and shrines often serve hot soup or amazake (a fermented rice drink). At crowded beaches, people often light fires to keep warm.
In a country that values symbols like Japan, any first act of the new year carries special significance. Therefore, Japanese people have the habit of going to a Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple for the first time of the year, called hatsumode.
The Japanese also refer to the first dream on New Year's Eve (hatsuyume) or the first smile of the year (hatsuwarai). Therefore, in the land of the rising sun, the first sunrise of the year becomes a very solemn event, an ancient custom of the Japanese.
History records that on the first day of the year, the Emperor offers prayers to Amaterasu - the Shinto sun goddess.
The ritual of offering prayers to Amaterasu on New Year's Day has been recorded since the Heian period (794-1185). By the Meiji period (1868-1912), the custom of welcoming Amaterasu on New Year's Day had become a common ritual for all Japanese people. The Japanese welcomed the sun goddess when she appeared to pray for good fortune in the new year.
Japanese folklore believes that Toshigamisama, the god of the New Year, arrives on the first day of the year at the same time as the sun rises. If one makes a wish while watching the sunrise, it will come true.
Because of the significance of the first sunrise of the new year, the ideal places to watch the sunrise are packed with people. Mountaintops, high-altitude observatories, and beaches are often the top choices.
Mount Fuji has always been a popular spot for hatsuhinode, but in winter the harsh climate makes watching the first sunrise of the year a privilege reserved for expert climbers.
In Tokyo, lucky people can watch the sunrise from towering towers like the Tokyo Skytree (634 m) or the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (202 m high observation deck). Every year, the Tokyo government holds a lottery to select 892 people to participate in the special event at the Tokyo Skytree and 600 people at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
Those who are more adventurous can purchase tickets for special sunrise flights operated by Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, departing from Narita Airport. On this New Year's Day flight, passengers can enjoy New Year's food while flying over Tokyo Bay and watching Mount Fuji glow in the dawn light.
If you can’t make it to these places, there are plenty of other great spots to see the first sunrise of the year. In Inubosaki (Chiba Prefecture), the easternmost point of the Kanto region, the rising sun will illuminate the Inubosaki Lighthouse, the symbol of the region.
Further north, the Oarai coast (Ibaraki Prefecture) is famous for its torii gate built on a rock, facing the sea and the rising sun. Before the sun appears, the shrine's priests will perform a religious ceremony.
If you're in the Fuji Five Lakes region near Mount Fuji, Lake Motosu Park is the perfect spot to watch as the first light of the year covers the famous volcano.
In Kyoto, Yoshimine-dera Temple on Mt. Nishiyama is an ideal spot. From here, the public can admire the sunrise behind the Higashiyama Mountains.
