Hello Everyone,

First of all, i would like to greet your New Year with full of health and joy! I hope you will reach all your desired achievements with good study and motivation.

Now, i would like to talk about what i did on New Year night. I used to celebrate new year with my family and friends while i was living in Istanbul. But, due to work of my parents-in-law, we generally don't gather on holidays. So that, i can skip the night with my husband by visiting some temples and dealing some holly stuffs such as picking up our fortune slip for new year-it's called OMIKUJI in Japanese.

First, we visited Kasuga Taisha Shrine. We counted down infront of the Shrine with other people who want to visit there too. I was feeling quite relaxing and happy. We all threw some coins and then made wishes for new year.

Some of us didn't start up the new year well. They picked their omikuji and they didn't have good fortunes. That's why they are tying their papers and wishing God to bring them good luck.

On this picture, i was trying sake which was from Katsuga Taisha shrine. The ewer was made from gold and sake was faith healing.

That was a cute lantern that we saw everywhere around the way. It was lightened up by fire and looks very peaceful.

We saw so many of deer and because of dark, whole deer families sitting together especially baby deer with their mothers.That one was the baby deer.

And then, of course we saw the gorgeous Toodaiji Temple. For only new year, they show the face of Buddha. That was breathtakingly amazing!!

Pilgrims were ornamenting around Buddha with lots of foods and sakes.

Everyone was there for praying.Quite united place for Japanese and non-Japanese. Here is called Daibutsuden Hall -The Big Buddha Hall.

What the earth am i doing there?? :) I was trying to pass the small whole into the wooden column in the shrine. If you ask the meaning of that, i am going to tell you the story of that.

That is another attraction spot in the shrine. It's a pillar with a hole in its base that is the same size as the Daibutsu's nostril. It is said that those who can squeeze through this opening will be granted enlightenment in their next life.

Lastly, we ended up our night by drinking toshikoshi soba - year crossing soba which is a Japanese traditional noodle bowl dish eaten on New Year's eve. This symbolizes a long life ,strength and resiliency.

How about you? How did you spend your New Year night?