In 2024, misfortunes piled up around me, so I changed New Year's greetings to announcements of mourning. In Kamuro, the mourning period ends after 49 days, so I returned1 to the island on the 30th to celebrate the New Year.
I was curious about the state of the newspapers, so I contacted Mr. M, who has been delivering them since November. He said that he "no longer delivers extra newspapers" because he does not have the sales rights. I felt that the depopulation had progressed further... I ended up going all the way to the 7-Eleven in Doi to buy a newspaper. I asked Mr. M for help in finding a place to buy a newspaper in Kamuro, Sare, or Jikamuro.
On the 31st, after cleaning the house, I return the old Oharaisama (talismans) to the shrine and receive new ones. After bringing them home, I immediately make an offering and offer decorations such as Kagami mochi and Shimenawa. I have some time before the "New Year's Eve Bell" at the temple in the evening, so I prepare some sake and start reading a book. Last week, I finished all 15 volumes of "What Ryotaro Shiba Thought," which I have been reading since April this year. Up until volume 11, I read about two volumes a month, but after that the content became more difficult and I just followed the words. I thought I would read Shiono Nanami's "The Way of the Romans" next year, so I took it out of my bookshelf. It is a book I have read since the paperback version was released in 2002. I remember that I enjoyed reading her explanations while following the history. I don't know how many months it will take me to finish, but I'll start.
It was past 3:30 p.m., so I left home to participate in the "New Year's Eve Bell Ringing" at the temple. I brought some old charms and talismans from home to have them burned of in the "Otakiage" ceremony. There were about 40 people who participated, which was more than I expected. I rang the bell five or six times and chatted with the people around me, and before I knew it, the 108 bells had finished ringing.
2024 is over.
I woke up to the 6 o'clock chime in the morning of 2025. "Spring is the dawn..." SeiShonagon wrote. I was fascinated by the ever-changing colors of the sky, with clouds floating above the Iyo mountain range. The sea ripples only due to the tides. I murmured to SeiShonagon, "It is better than the scenery you have seen." I turned the page of the calendar and made offerings to the gods. I poured the sacred sake, and gold leaf appeared in the center of the cup. I prayed to purify various places, thinking that good things would happen this year.
I had breakfast with ozōni and a simple osechi dish. On the TV, I was watching footage of Golden Fuji.
After 8 o'clock, I visited the shrine, temple, and grave. Outside, the scenery was the same as usual, but when we saw the flags at the shrine, we felt that it was the New Year. On the way to the shrine, I met some classmates and exchanged New Year's greetings. We were supposed to meet at the shrine around 10 o'clock, but due to my schedule, I was able to visit the shrine. At the temple, the head priest was chanting sutras, and I was able to put my hands together in a sincere and faithful manner.
After returning home, I started drinking while watching the corporate ekiden race and eating New Year's food. Around 10:30, my family came from Hiroshima to visit the grave. After lunch, I and my wife visted to her parents' house. I left Okikamuro.
I plan to take advantage of Coming of Age Day and return home on the 11th to clear the New Year decorations.
This marks the end of New Year's in Kamuro.
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