New Years at Mishima Taisha

I would like to start off by saying Happy New Year!!!  Last week I was fortunate enough to have the full week off so I made the bi-annual pilgrimage to Shizuoka to visit family and friends.  While I was there I made a visit to Mishima Taisha, a large Shinto shrine located in the heart of Mishima city, Shizuoka prefecture. Like a ton of other people, I made the visit during Hatsumōde, which is the first shrine visit of the Japanese new year. 

Honden of Mishima Taisha

Vendors preparing on New Years eve

The entrance to Mishima Taisha

preparing on New Years eve

 Honden of Mishima Taisha

 This was on Jan 2nd, and still a lot of people waiting!

and waiting.....

and still waiting.....

Time to eat after a long day of waiting!