The new year has begun, and 2025 is here.
One of the major events at the start of the year is hatsumode, the first shrine or temple visit of the year.
This year (2025), I am in my first year of yakudoshi, an unlucky age. Yakudoshi refers to ages when people are believed to be more susceptible to misfortune and bad luck. I have heard that the year before yakudoshi, called maeyaku, is the year preceding the unlucky age, and that misfortune and bad luck may begin during this time.
Wanting to “spend 2025 in good health,” I went for hatsumode at Mt. Yuga in Kojima, which is famous for warding off misfortune.
The information provided was current when this article was published in January 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About Mt. Yuga
Strictly speaking, Mt. Yuga is the name of a mountain, but the name is also used to refer to the shrines and temples on the mountain, as well as the area as a whole.
Mt. Yuga is home to Yuga Shrine Honmiya, known as the head shrine for warding off misfortune, and Yugasan Rendai-ji Temple, known as a temple for warding off misfortune.
Before the Meiji-era Order for the Separation of Shinto and Buddhism, Yuga Shrine Honmiya and Yugasan Rendai-ji Temple were worshipped together as a single entity called “Yuga Daigongen.” Even today, many people visit both sites.
There are usually three parking lots at Yugasan Rendai-ji Temple, while Yuga Shrine Honmiya’s Omotesando First Parking Lot is open. During the hatsumode period, a temporary parking lot was also set up beside Kurashiki Municipal Kotoura Kita Elementary School.
The parking lot at Yugasan Rendai-ji Temple is recommended for those who are not confident on their feet, as it means you do not have to climb the stairs on the approach to Yuga Shrine Honmiya.
On the other hand, walking from the parking lot at Yuga Shrine Honmiya lets you climb the shrine’s famous stone steps for warding off misfortune. Since I had come to pray for protection from misfortune, I headed for Yuga Shrine Honmiya from its temporary parking lot.
Hatsumode at Yuga Shrine Honmiya: Throwing a yakudama and receiving an amulet
At the top of the stone steps for warding off misfortune, you are greeted by the large Bizen-yaki torii gate, designated a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan.
As one of Okayama Prefecture’s most popular hatsumode spots, there was a line of about 20 minutes when I visited in the early afternoon of January 2. However, while waiting, I could admire the impressive Bizen-yaki torii gate and amulets, and before I knew it, I had reached the jōkōro incense burner.
One of the items used to purify visitors’ bodies. That day, too, I bathed in the smoke, wishing that it would cleanse me of all the misfortune in my body.
Past the incense burner, I finally reached the main hall. I tossed in an offering, rang the bell to call the gods, and prayed with two bows, two claps, and one bow. The shrine grounds were bustling with hatsumode visitors, but for the few seconds I was praying, I always felt as though the surrounding sounds faded away and I could focus on my visit.
After praying, I picked up a yakudama that had caught my eye while I was waiting in line. I crossed a small stone bridge called “Yaku-bashi” to the left of the worship hall and headed to the “Yakudama Ritual Offering Site.”
I threw the yakudama, which is said to contain misfortune and calamity, with all my might at the large character for “misfortune” written at the offering site. The ceramic ball struck the character and shattered into pieces with a crisp sound. Now I was fully protected from misfortune.
Still feeling uneasy about my first year of yakudoshi, I decided to receive an amulet as well.
There were several kinds of amulets for warding off misfortune, and I chose the Kamiyo Washi Amulet, which seemed easy to carry with me at all times.
There are five kinds of Kamiyo Washi Amulets. The green one I chose is an amulet for “protection from misfortune and good health.” The beautiful, softly colored washi paper used for this amulet is Kamiyo washi, a type of Japanese paper whose techniques have been passed down since the Heian period, just like at Yuga Shrine Honmiya.
It is compact, so I plan to keep it in my wallet for a year.
Hatsumode at Yugasan Rendai-ji Temple: Lighting candles and enjoying a monkey performance
After enjoying hatsumode at Yuga Shrine Honmiya to pray for protection from misfortune, I was about to head home when I learned that I could also visit the neighboring Yugasan Rendai-ji Temple for hatsumode. I followed the signs to the temple.
Hatsumode may seem like an ancient Japanese custom, but it only became common in Japan around the Meiji period. It is said to have started when Kawasaki Daishi, located along the railway line connecting Kawasaki Station in Kanagawa Prefecture—famous as the first railway in the Kanto region—to Kawasaki Daishi (the Daishi Electric Railway, now the Keikyu Daishi Line), ran an advertisement saying, “For hatsumairi, go to Kawasaki Daishi.”
Kawasaki Daishi is a temple of the Shingon school of Buddhism. In other words, hatsumode originated at temples, so visiting a temple for hatsumode is perfectly appropriate.
At Yugasan Rendai-ji Temple, prayers are held daily for protection from misfortune and other purposes. You can also visit the main hall without taking part in a prayer service.
I lit a candle for protection from misfortune in the main hall and prayed for a peaceful year.
Yuga Shrine Honmiya was very lively, but despite the many visitors, Yugasan Rendai-ji Temple was notably quiet. A shrine is a place to give thanks and pray to the gods, while a temple is a place to purify the heart based on Buddhist teachings. Visitors were enjoying hatsumode in ways suited to each place.
When I left the main hall, a monkey from the Nikko Saru Gundan was performing street tricks.
Monkey performances are a traditional art that has been passed down in Japan since the Edo period. Since the word for monkey, “saru,” is associated with the verb “saru,” meaning “to leave,” monkeys were believed to drive away evil and were considered messengers of the gods. Monkey performances are therefore highly auspicious, symbolizing “driving away misfortune and bringing good fortune.”
I prayed for protection from misfortune, watched the auspicious monkey performance, and thoroughly enjoyed hatsumode.
From the Writer
It was my first New Year in Kurashiki since moving here from the Kanto region in December 2023.
The unique Yakudama Ritual at Yuga Shrine Honmiya, the Kamiyo Washi Amulet made using traditional handcraft techniques, the solemn hatsumode at Yugasan Rendai-ji Temple, and the auspicious monkey performance taking place beside it—all were experiences I had for the first time since coming to Kurashiki, and they made for a refreshing start to the new year.
Both Yuga Shrine Honmiya and Yugasan Rendai-ji Temple offer prayers for protection from misfortune throughout the year. Even if you miss the chance to visit for hatsumode, why not go and pray with peace of mind?
Yuga Shrine Honmiya and Yugasan Rendai-ji Temple Information
| Name | Yuga Shrine Honmiya, Yugasan Rendai-ji Temple |
|---|---|
| Address | Mt. Yuga |
| Website | https://yugasan.jp/ |
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