- Title: Japanese start new year with visit to shrine, pray for end of pandemic
- Date: 1st January 2022
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (JANUARY 1, 2022) (REUTERS) SUN RISING BETWEEN BUILDINGS IN CENTRAL TOKYO FIRST SUNRISE IN 2022 AND TRAFFIC ON ROAD IN THE MORNING PEOPLE TAKING PHOTOS OF SUNRISE PHONE SCREEN SHOWING SUNRISE VISITORS WALKING IN MEIJI SHRINE VISITORS QUEUING VARIOUS OF VISITORS CLAPPING AND PRAYING COINS BEING THROWN IN FRONT OF SHRINE (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 74-YEAR-OLD MEIJI
- Embargoed: 15th January 2022 06:50
- Keywords: COVID-19 Japan Meiji shrine New Year's Day prayers visitors
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001FSEIR7R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Thousands visited the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo on Saturday (January 1), to welcome the new year with prayers for good luck and the end of the pandemic.
The calendar New Year is the biggest holiday and Japanese families spend this time together. Many visit local shrines, where people toss a coin and make a wish for good luck in the new year.
Visitors to Meiji Shrine were seen wearing face masks and queuing adhering to social distancing measures. Japan is bracing for a feared rebound in coronavirus cases due to the increase in domestic travel during the holiday season. The pandemic is more contained in Japan than in other countries but more cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 have recently come to light, including a suspected cluster at an Osaka nursing home.
Instead of making a public appearance and greeting well-wishers at the Imperial Palace, Japan's Emperor Naruhito greeted the public with a pre-recorded video which was released on Saturday.
(Production: Irene Wang) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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