A Fukuokan's Notes from Sapporo

This was my first New Year's shrine visit since since the COVID-19 pandemic began (sounds a long time... but just two years ago).

Things seem to have changed a bit while I was cocooning. 

On one site, I found the hand-washing basins were kept empty, probably in order to prevent infection caused by sharing the water, ladles and towels and gargling with the shared water.

On the same site I found it became harder to climb up and down all the steps to the shrine which was located on the top of a small hill.

I could no longer go down the steps without help of handrails. I feel my head spinning only by looking at this image.

Although the shrine seems to plan to install a lift (and collect donations), maybe it is time to consider to look for another place for pray.

 

On another site, the basin was filled with water and flowers.

Very  photogenic, if a good cameraman took a photo, not me. Instead of water, this shrine provides alcohol-based hand sanitizer to purify hands. 

Both shrines seem to be keener to attract more worshippers and sell (or confer?) shrine goods than they used to be.  According to a leaflet I have picked at a shrine,  we have "cursed time" in our lives.

　during which you prone to be sick, meet accidents, and generally be out of luck. The leaflet recommends us to join "purification" ceremonies to avoid such misfortunes (fees required). 

The leaflet also functions as a goods catalogue,

introducing which item is suitable to you. I think this is also a change shrines have adopted recently.