Talking About Hatsumode | Learn Japanese Through Stories #0003

📖 Study Guide

Learn Japanese through stories.

These stories include Japanese culture,
daily life, travel experiences,
and conversations between people.

1. Read the story.
2. Follow the Japanese text.
3. Use Romaji if needed.
4. Review the vocabulary.

🌸 Story

🌸 さくら｜Sakura

Hey, Sumire.
How do you actually pray at a shrine?

ねえ、すみれ。
お参りって、どうやるのが正解なんだっけ？

Nē, Sumire.
Omairi tte, dō yaru no ga seikai nan dakke?

🌷すみれ｜Sumire

There’s no perfect way.
It’s more about calming your heart.

正解っていうよりね、
「こうすると気持ちが整うよ」っていう作法かな。

Seikai tte iu yori ne,
“Kō suru to kimochi ga totonou yo”
tte iu sahō kana.

🌸 さくら｜Sakura

I see.

ふむふむ。

Fumu fumu.

🌷すみれ｜Sumire

When you walk through the torii gate,
just think,
Excuse me for entering.

まず鳥居をくぐるときは、
「おじゃまします」って心の中で言う感じ。

Mazu torii o kuguru toki wa,
“Ojama shimasu”
tte kokoro no naka de iu kanji.

🌸 さくら｜Sakura

I always wonder what I should wish for.

お願いごとを考えなきゃって、
毎年ちょっと迷うんだよね。

Onegaigoto o kangaenakya tte,
maitoshi chotto mayou n da yo ne.

🌷すみれ｜Sumire

You don’t have to wish for anything special.
You came here again this year — that’s enough.

無理にお願いしなくていいよ。
去年も今年も、ちゃんとここに来たでしょ？

Muri ni onegai shinakute ii yo.
Kyonen mo kotoshi mo,
chanto koko ni kita desho?

🌸 さくら｜Sakura

So I just say the same thing every year.
“I hope it will be a good year.”

うん。
だからいつも同じ。
「良い年になりますように」だけ。

Un.
Dakara itsumo onaji.
“Yoi toshi ni narimasu yō ni”
dake.

🌷すみれ｜Sumire

That’s not just a wish.
It’s a gentle promise to live this year carefully.

それで十分。
それはお願いじゃなくて、
“今年も大切に生きます”って挨拶だから。

Sore de jūbun.
Sore wa onegai janakute,
“Kotoshi mo taisetsu ni ikimasu”
tte aisatsu dakara.

💭 Story Note

What is Hatsumode?

Hatsumode is the first visit to a shrine or temple in the New Year.

Every January, many people in Japan visit a shrine with their family or friends.

Many visitors pray for good health, happiness, success, or safety during the coming year.

However, Hatsumode is not only about making wishes.

For many Japanese people, it is also a quiet moment to slow down, express gratitude, and begin the new year with a peaceful heart.

There are also simple customs when visiting a shrine.

People bow before passing through the torii gate, wash their hands at the purification fountain, and quietly offer a prayer.

The exact way is less important than showing respect.

In other words, Hatsumode is a gentle tradition that helps people begin a new year with hope, gratitude, and a calm mind.

📚 Vocabulary

Here are some words and expressions from this story.
Many of them are commonly used when talking about shrine visits, New Year customs, and listening responses in Japanese.