Traditionally, it is a custom for Japanese families to get together around year-end/new-year at their home town (usually children who moved out of their home town are supposed to come back) and pay a visit to some local shrine or temple for the new year prayer. What is particular in Japan is: this new-year prayer is more cultural than religious/spritual.
Granted many of us stumble upon Shintoist/Buddhist (as the 2 most predominant religions in Japan) events along the course of our life (e.g. marriage, child-birth, funeral etc), but the majority of Japanese don’t feel affiliated with any religion, and not necessarily conscious of religious gestures/implications of such events.
The same is true for me, and the followings are some snapshots of my new-year day and they would give some idea on how non-selective we could be when it comes to scratching the surface of religions (without commiting rigorously)
Yasukuni Shrine (靖国神社)
晩白柚 (Citrus grandis)
St. Mary’s Cathedral
Gokokuji Temple (護国寺)
