The document summarizes the author's New Year's Day activities in Nara, Japan visiting in-laws in the countryside. It describes eating traditional foods like mochi and ozoni for breakfast. It then details visiting a nearby shrine and hiking up a mountain to Hozanji Temple. Along the way and at the temple, the author describes the crowds, street vendors selling snacks, and their family members enjoying beer, takoyaki, buttered potatoes and other treats to celebrate the new year.
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New Year's '07 snaps in Japan
1. Visiting the in-laws in the countryside of Nara (January 1, 2007) Some snaps from New Year’s day here in Japan
2. January 1, 2007 (A.M.) Enjoying a bite of “mochi,” a tasty part of “Ozoni,” a traditional New Year’s dish in Japan.
3. Okasan going through the hundreds of New Year’s cards they received from friends, family, and former students. January 1, 2007 (A.M.)
4. After a healthy New Year’s breakfast we feel strong and ready to hike to a nearby Shrine and then up the Ikoma mountain to visit the Temple. January 1, 2007 (A.M.)
6. Heading up the long steps to the Hozanji Temple . January 1, 2007 (A.M.)
7. January 1, 2007 (A.M.) The final steps to the Hozanji Temple in Ikoma (Nara prefecture).
8. This is a section of the main temple were people pray specifically for traffic safety for the coming year. The sign (right) says basically “Praying Place for Traffic Safety.” January 1, 2007 (A.M.)
9. Crowd gathers near the Temple to buy some treats from the street vendors. January 1, 2007 (A.M.)
10. Okasan and Garr toast the new year with a couple of cans of Kirin beer. January 1, 2007 (A.M.)
11. Mrs. Reynolds and her brother pose with a dish of “Takoyaki” (Octopus). Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds with beer and “Jagabata-” (a hot potato with heaps of butter).
12. This sign says “Jaga bata-” (hot buttered potato). One of the many street vendors that were out for the new year crowds visiting the Temple. January 1, 2007 (A.M.)
13. Garr examines his beer and hot buttered potato in front of the Hozanji Temple halfway up Mt. Ikoma.