On January 1st and 2nd, the start of 2026, shrines and temples in Kyoto Prefecture were bustling with worshippers making their first visit of the year. Despite the bitterly cold weather, many people prayed for peace and safety for their families.
Approximately 120,000 people visited Heian Shrine in Kyoto's Sakyo Ward between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. On January 2nd, families quietly prayed in front of the vibrant vermilion and white of the Daigokuden (a National Important Cultural Property), which underwent its first repainting in 30 years at the end of last year.
A 45-year-old office worker from Kyoto's Yamashina Ward visits the shrine every year with her family of four. She is originally from Ishikawa Prefecture's Noto Peninsula. She was home visiting her hometown on New Year's Day in 2024 when the major earthquake struck. Her parents' home was partially destroyed by the powerful tremors, forcing her and her family to evacuate for two days. "Two years have passed since then, but reconstruction has not progressed very well and I am worried about the outflow of population. I hope that my hometown will regain its vitality," he said.
