To watch the first sunrise of New Year’s Day 2021, I dashed up the pitch-dark Kabutoyama Daishi-michi trail to Kanno-ji Temple on Mt. Kabuto.
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Around 6:30 a.m., even though sunrise was still 30 minutes away, there were already lots of people on the stairs leading up to the main hall!
So many more people than expected!
Everyone was climbing to any spot a little higher up to see the first sunrise of the year.
And this is what the balcony area overlooking Nishinomiya looked like!
There were too many people, so I tried climbing even higher toward the summit, but it was packed there too!
The grass was so overgrown that there didn’t seem to be any good viewing spots!
I gave up and dashed back down the mountain, drenched in sweat!
And then, the long-awaited first sunrise of the year! I managed to see it!
So bright! Absolutely divine…✨
Moved by the beauty of the first sunrise, I turned around to head home while still feeling inspired—and was shocked.
A huge line!!
There was a huge line for omikuji fortune slips too!!
Finally
No night lasts forever!
I hope 2021 will be a wonderful year for all of you!!✨
