明けましておめでとう! Happy New Year!!

This post is some what of a guest post from Emelie since I didn't actually attend this カウントダウン(Countdown) for New Years. It's an interesting tidbit about Japan's biggest holiday so I figured somebody would want to read about it. Enjoy!

 Happy new year everybody! Hope everyone has enjoyed celebrating the new year!
 I had an awesome time, not what i expect on new years eve, i.e no alcohol/drunkness/fighting. It was different but special nonetheless! New years eve is traditionally spent with your family at home watching Tv and eating special new years food like Soba noodles(think they give you long life), so because of that, none of our Japanese friends were with us to celebrate. Normally in Japan, on new years eve, you go to a shrine at midnight and ring in  the new year with a pray. We wanted to the traditional thing -plus no one fancied going clubbing- so we went to a temple.  The temple we went to is Zojoji temple which is right infront of Tokyo Tower, i went there with my host family awhile back but it was a lot ore crowded this time around! We heard that if you stand in a queue, the first 3000 people will recieve a balloon and then at the stroke of mignight we release them all into the air to let them float away. Along with your balloon you get a little wish card for you to write your wish!

(The wish form to the substitution of the balloon ended and the distribution of the form ..necessity.. wish ended)

We did stand in line for awhile but it was totes worth it! The atmosphere was so relaxed yet very efficient! There werea couple of gaijin(westerners) around us that kind of made us embarressed to be white, i.e spitting, drinking etc. But we just shuffled away from them and chilled out till the countdown started!

I only realised how CROWDED it was when i tried to go to the toilet on the otherside of the temple…i didnt thik i would make it out alive. Just.so.rammed. incredible. But nay worries, after being hit in the face a couple of times with a balloon, i made it safely to the toilet Came back just in time for the countdown! Pretty much straight after the countdown we headed home and chilled in the living room for a bit

Zojoji Temple (near Tokyo Tower)

Tokyo Tower

Letting the balloons off!

Here's a video of the releasing of the balloons!