Location: Hongaku-ji Temple, Komachi, Kamakura-City

The deity Ebisu is enshrined at Hongaku-ji temple. The “Ebisu-ichi” market, where beautifully costumed maidens sell lucky “fukuzasa” bamboo amulets, will be held from the 1st (Holiday) to Sunday the 3rd. On Sunday the 10th, the “Ebisu taisai” festival will be held with a prayer service from 11:00 and New Year mochi (sweet rice cake) tossing from 12:00.

For details, contact Hongaku-ji Temple (Tel: 0467-22-0490)

Location: Izumo-taisha Sagami-bunshi Shrine, Hirasawa, Hadano-City

A ceremony will be held from 13:30. From 14:00, mikoshi (portable shrines) will be paraded throughout the shrine area. People costumed as the gods Daikoku and Ebisu will wave lucky mallets in front of the mikoshi to grant spectators good luck, and “mochi-tsuki” (rice cake pounding) will take place from 12:30. From 15:00, young sumo wrestlers including Isegahama-oyakata (ex-yokozuna Asahifuji), Aminishiki, Harumafuji, and Asofuji will take part in “fuku-mochi maki” (lucky rice cake tossing).

For details, contact Izumo-taisha Sagami-bunshi Shrine (Tel: 0463-81-1122)

Location: Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Yukinoshita, Kamakura-City

A ceremony held to commemorate the beginning of construction work. Shinto priests guide carpenters and construction workers from Hachimangu’s second torii gate to the “Maiden” stage. The workers chant and sing songs as they carry the sacred tree, then use old-fashioned chona (adzes) and saws on it, praying for safety during their work. Starts at 13:00.

For details, contact Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine (Tel: 0467-22-0315)

Location: Maidono, western grounds, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Yukinoshita, Kamakura-City

A rite of passage ceremony for warriors that has continued since the Kamakura period, and is also referred to as “archery rite.” Archers dressed in ceremonial garb shoot arrows at a target of approximately 1.5 meters in diameter with the word “oni” (devil) written on the back of it in order to expel evil spirits. Starts at 10:00.

For details, contact Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine (Tel: 0467-22-0315)

Location: Kainan-jinja Shrine and other locations, Misaki, Miura-City

Dozens of young girls wearing kimono and holding “chakkirako” (weaving implements decorated with colorful paper strips and bells) and fans will perform six dances along to songs. This traditional Miura event – performed on the “Little New Year” only by women – is to pray for successful fishing catches, marine safety, and household prosperity. In September 2009, chakkirako was designated as an intangible cultural element by UNESCO.

For details, contact the Miura-City Tourism Association (Tel: 046-888-0588)

Location: Oiso Coast, Oiso-Town

Green bamboo is stood on the coast, and New Year’s decorations and amulets are piled up in nine places nearby to a height of 8 m, which are then lit all at once when the sun sets. People pierce dango (dumplings) with sticks and roast them over the fires, eating them and praying for good health. On the coast, fishermen divide themselves between the shore and the land and compete and tug of war, which is known as “yanna gokko.” This large-scale festival, held on the “Little New Year” and also known as “Dondo-yaki,” is designed as a national non-tangible folk-culture asset.

For details, contact the Oiso Tourism Association (Tel: 0463-61-3300)

Location: Katase Coast Eastern shore, Fujisawa-City

Four mikoshi will be carried into the ocean at Shonan to celebrate those who have just come of age and to pray for safety during the year. After the ceremony, the mikoshi will be paraded about in the morning.

For details, contact the Fujisawa-City Katase-Enoshima Tourism Center (Tel: 0466-22-4141)

Location: Hakone, Enoshima (Kanagawa); Shinjuku (Tokyo), Ito (Shizuoka)

The Odakyu Group is holding various events to welcome visitors from many parts of East Asia who are taking advantage of the New Year (Lunar New Year) holiday according to the traditional lunisolar calendar to visit Japan.

English : http://www.odakyu.jp/english/2010wc/index.html
Traditional Chinese : http://www.odakyu.jp/tc/2010wc/
Simplified Chinese : http://www.odakyu.jp/sc/2010wc/
Korean : http://www.odakyu.jp/korean/2010wc/

Location: Itabashi Jizoson-Temple, Itabashi, Odawara-City

Itabashi Jizoson-Temple’s principal object of worship was said to be carved by priest Kobo Daishi himself. On both days, this object is unveiled. On Saturday the 23rd, a temple fair will be held with stands from 200 shops. On Sunday the 24th, a morning market will be held by local agricultural cooperatives and commerce associations.

For details, contact Korin-ji Temple (Tel: 0465-22-7240)

Location: Manpuku-ji Temple, Nakazato, Odawara-City

After a “goma-taki” burning ritual, Buddhist monk question and answer session, and “yudate” purification ritual, “ofude” and “shimekazari” decorations gathered in the precincts will be set aflame while sutras are chanted. When the fire burns down, priests and visitors will walk across it barefoot.

For details, contact Manpuku-ji Temple (Tel: 0465-42-1235)