My Hatsumode (part 2)
Jan 05th 2010 23:58
列に並んでから40分後、私は本殿に着きました。(第１の写真参照)
It was faster than I had anticipated, it is often happened that we have to wait for 1 or 2 hours for praying at the main pilgrim on Hatsumode.
思ったより早く着きました。初詣では１～２時間待たねばならないことだってざらにあるのです。
It was a good thing that I went to Hatsumode on the last day of new year's vacation. (^ ^)
正月最後の日に初詣に来てよかったです。 (^ ^)
On main pilgrim of shrine, I throw in some money to the offering box and pray, same as everyone.(See the second picture, please.)
本殿では、皆と同じように（第２の写真参照）、さい銭箱にさい銭を投げ入れてお祈りをしました。
After praying, I bought a paper fortune (おみくじ) that is traditional Japanese random fortune-telling paper.
祈った後、私はおみくじを買いました。おみくじとは日本の伝統的な占いのくじ引きです。
The paper fortune said that my fortune is "吉(kichi/Blessing)".(See the third picture, please.)
おみくじによると、私の運勢は「吉」でした（第３の写真参照）
Generally, the ranking of fortune in paper fortune is as follows:
一般に、おみくじの序列は以下の通りです。
大吉(Great Blessing)
中吉(Middle Blessing)
小吉(Small Blessing)
吉(Blessing) <-- This is my fortune!!
末吉(Near Blessing)
凶(Cursing)
大凶(Big Cursing)
That is to say, my fortune was in just middle rank.
つまり、私の運勢はちょうど真ん中の順位でした。
I thought this rank was the best for the beginning of new year.
これは、新年の運勢には最高だと思いました。
Both excessive delight and excessive depression at new year often don't cause to good result.
正月に過剰に喜んだり過剰に落ち込んだりしても、いい結果に結びつかないものです。
After my Hatsumode, I decided to make another new year's resolution. that is as follows:
初詣のあと、私は新年の抱負を一つ増やすことにしました。それはこれです。
"To interpret everything at the convenience of myself"
「なんでも自分の都合のいいように解釈すること」
If I waited in a row for 40 minutes, or If my fortune is in middle rank, they would make me happy depending on how I look at it.
たとえ40分待とうが運勢が真ん中だろうが、考えようによってはそれで幸せになれるものです。
So I took fulfilling Hatsumode. (^ ^)
というわけで、充実した初詣でした。 (^ ^)
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After standing in line for about 40 minutes, I reached the pilgrim.
It was faster than what I had anticipated. We normally have to wait for 1 or 2 hours to be able to pray at the main pilgrim in Hatsumode.
In the main pilgrim of the shrine, I threw some money to the offering box and prayed just like what the other people were doing.
After praying, I bought a paper fortune (おみくじ) that which is a traditional Japanese random fortune-telling paper.
Which means, my fortunes was in the middle ranking.
which are as follows:
ごめんね ＾＾；
楽しそう
After standing in line for about 40 minutes, I reached the main hall of the shrine. (See the first picture, please.)
It was faster than I had anticipated. Usually we have to wait for 1 or 2 hours in order to pray at the shrine during Hatsumode. [["Hatsumode" is not a place, therefore you do not use "in"]]
It was a good thing that I went to Hatsumode on the last day of New Year's vacation. [["Hatsumode" is strange when used in English and does not follow normal grammatical rules. Because Hatsumode = the first shrine visit of the year, "we have to wait 1 or 2 hours during *the first shrine visit of the year*" but "I went to *visit the shrine for the first time this year*"...in English we would turn "Hatsumode" into a verb, much like how "Google" become "to Google." But since it's a foreign term, it wouldn't be easily understood. ^_^* Tricky!]]
Inside the main hall of the shrine, I threw in some money into the offering box and prayed, just like everyone else. (See the second picture, please.)
After praying, I bought a paper fortune (おみくじ), which is a traditional Japanese random fortunetelling paper.
The おみくじ said that my fortune is "吉(kichi/Blessing)." (See the third picture, please.) [[Here it's a little redundant to say "fortune" twice, so I think using the Japanese word is better. You already explained what the Japanese word is in a previous sentence, so this is okay.]]
Generally, the ranking of fortune in おみくじ is as follows:
That is to say, my fortune was in just middle rank.
I thought this rank was the best for the beginning of the new year.
Both excessive delight and excessive depression at New Year's often don't have good results.
After my Hatsumode, I decided to make another New Year's resolution.
It is as follows:
"To interpret everything at the convenience of myself." [[A popular English phrase is, "To turn everything to my advantage."]]
Whether I waited in a line for 40 minutes, or if my fortune is in middle rank, these things would make me happy depending on how I look at it.
So I had a fulfilling Hatsumode.
I waited in line for about 40 minutes in order to reach the pilgrim.(just another choice!)
It was faster than I had originallyanticipated. Usually,you'd have to wait for 1 or 2 hoursbefore you can pray at the main pilgrim on Hatsumode.
The paper slip said that my fortune is "吉(kichi/Blessing)".(See the third picture, please.)
Generally, the rankingfor these paper fortunesis as follows:
"To interpret everything at the convenience of myself"I agree with earlier corrections--"turn everything to my advantage" fits very well with what you want to say!
凶(Curse)
大凶(Big Curse)
Even if I waited in a row line for 40 minutes, or If and even if my fortune is in the middle rank, depending on how I look at it, these things would will make me happy.
and wow, there really are a lot of people there!!
It was faster than I had anticipated, because it is often happened that we often have to wait for 1 or 2 hours before praying at the main shrine on Hatsumode.
Generally, the ranking of fortunes in paper fortune is as follows:
Even though the english version is definately "Turn everything to your own advantage" (everyone will know what you mean if you say this), I actually really like your version better. I think it gives it a slightly different nuance.
"To interpret everything to my own convience" makes it something you can do in your head, rather than something you do to change the outside world. I think "turn everything to your own advantage" has a bit more of a doing-things-in-real-life nuance.
So, I like your version, because we can't always change the things that happen, but we can always interpret them in a good way! :D
末吉(Uncertain Blessing)
凶(Bad luck OR Misfortune)
大凶(Terrible luck, Atrocity)
That is to say, my fortune/luck was so-so. (moderateなどような言う意味です。)
I agree with earlier corrections. (Always look on the bright side of life ^^ )
Thank you for your corrections and comments.
I don't blame you. This topic seems difficult to understand for people who have never lived in Japan for a long time, because Hatsumode is a unique custom of Japan.
I have a good time on this Hatsumode. Thank you.
Thank you for your corrections and comments.
I'd like to answer to your comments.
(1)The meaning of "Hatsumode"
I think what you are pointed out is true in grammatical.
But I think the meaning of the word "Hatsumode" has no contradiction.
The reason is as follows:
In a narrow sense, "Hatsumode" is the first "main shrine (or main pilgrim,本殿) or front shrine(拝殿)" visit of the year.
And the visiting road(main shrine path, 参道) is located in the ground of a shrine.
In this sense, even if we went into the grounds of the shrine, we wouldn't call the act as "Hatsumode" without visiting the main shrine or front shrine.
But in a broad sense, "Hatsumode" is the first "ground of" shrine visit of the year. (We sometime use the word "Hatsumode" in that way, for our convenience.)
If you interpreted the word "Hatsumode" as in a broad sense, it (that is to say, arrived at "Hatsumode" and waited "Hatsumode" for a long time) has contradiction.
But I wanted to express "Hatsumode" only in a narrow sense.
I guess my explanation of "Hatsumode" wasn't explanation.
If so, I apologize for that.
(2)The word "吉(kichi/Blessing)."
I didn't know how to express the word "吉" in English.
And actually I wrote "fortune paper" in the former sentence, but I didn't know "fortune" means "吉".
So I use the word written in Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omikuji
Anyway, "Turn everything to my advantage." sounds good for me.
I'm very grateful to you. (^ ^)
Thank you for your correction.
I learned variations of expressions by your corrections.
And Happy New Year!! \(^o^)/
Thank you for your corrections.
I learned variations of expressions by your corrections.
Indeed, there are a lot of people, but this situation is limited only a few times in a year. Most of the times, there are few people in the shrine.
Anyway, let's live a life positively!! (^ ^)
Thank you for your comment.
Yes, I had a good time on this Hatsumode.
When I go to Hatsumode, I realize the new year has come.
(It may caused by my custom, I went to Hatsumode almost every new year's holiday. (^ ^))
Thank you for your corrections and comments.
Oh, what's a great interpret!!
Actually, I didn't think so deeply, but when I read your interpret, I felt as if I reached a philosophical conclusion!! (Of course, it's joking.(^ ^))
Anyway, to think positively is important, even if we can't change the situation.
So I'd like to think at all times Thank you for good interpret.(^ ^)
Thank you for your comment.
Yes, your memory is right!! (^ ^)
After we read the "Omikuji", we fold the paper in long and thin shapes, and ties on a branch of tree located in the ground of the shrine.
In these days there is a specialized space for tying the Omikuji paper (See the above picture please. This is a sight of "Tomigaoka Hachimangu shrine" on this morning.)
Thank you for your corrections and comment.
Japanese "Omikuji" are often written some proverbs together with fortune.
You can see the word "ことわざ" on upper-left of the above third photograph, that means proverbs.
Anyway, did you buy "Omikuji" in restaurant?
That's interesting!! That is a kind of difference of culture between America and Japan. (^ ^)
Thank you for your corrections and introducing a nice video.
I heard that song once!!
I can't quite remember, but probably that was sang in Monty Python's old movie. (One of former my friend loved Monty Python's old comedies and had many video collections, probably I heard when I watched the video.)
Thank you for your good information!! (^ ^)
I'm very sorry to respond to your corrections and comments!!
I'm very grateful to you!!!! (^ ^)
Thank you for your painstaking response, I appreciate it!