New Years in Japan is a special occasion to pray for a prosperous and joyous year full of health and happiness. Japanese people visit local shrines to pray for a good year and there are a few shrines especially popular with the Japanese.
Hakone Shrine will ring in the new year with a fireworks celebration starting at midnight on December 31st.
Because the shrine is popular there will be special buses from Hakone Yumoto Station taking people up to the shores of Lake Ashi for this special event.
