New Year

After the crazy, tiring night of New Year's Eve and going to sleep around 7 in the morning, I slept until about 5 in the evening on New Year's Day (which was basically the plan). As I lay in bed after waking up, I decided I needed to visit a shrine, the tradition for the New Year here. I threw on some clothes, packed up the camera gear, and headed out to Narumi Shrine.

I've shot this shrine at night a few times before, but always late so there was no one else there. It was great seeing it full of people there for the holiday, with food stalls and fortune stands set up around the grounds. After about an hour of taking pictures, a friend who lived in the area called. They had seen my check-in on Facebook and asked if I wanted to come over for dinner. Never would I pass up this kind of opportunity. I got to spend a lovely night meeting her parents and sister, and enjoyed some shabu-shabu in the process.

I managed to have both a Western and a Japanese style New Year's. Couldn't ask for more (well, a Badger win in the Rose Bowl would be nice).