Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from Japan! At 11:30 me and some friends headed down to the shrine near our apartment as is customary in Japan on new years. At the stroke of midnight, we all lined up in front of the alter in the shrine. We threw 5 yen coins in a box for good luck. Then we rang a giant bell and prayed for a good year. We got to hit Japanese drums and we bought fortunes. My fortune said I would be very lucky this year, but on the way back home that fortune along with my earphones fell out of my pocket. I guess my luck was supposed to start on the next day.