A quiet New Year visit to Ikegami Honmonji and a familiar noodle meal
There were few people around when Haruru made her New Year visit to Ikegami Honmonji. Afterwards, she returned to 自慢亭 for her first meal there that year, with a New Year gathering still to come in the evening.
From haruru.1002’s account shared in January 2025, edited with permission.
A calm day for a New Year temple visit
Haruru went to Ikegami Honmonji for hatsumode, her New Year temple visit. On that day there were only a few people around, so she was able to pay her respects without a long wait.
Her photographs show the temple building under a clear blue sky, both from the front and at an angle beneath the eaves.
Seasonal preparations and a show she missed
Preparations for the Setsubun bean-throwing event were already underway. The temple was looking ahead to the next seasonal gathering.
She had heard that a Nikko Saru Gundan monkey performance had taken place over New Year. She liked those performances and was disappointed to have missed it.
Back at 自慢亭, with an evening gathering to follow
Next was her first visit to 自慢亭 that year. The photograph records a plate of stir-fried noodles with vegetables, and she found the food as delicious as ever.
In the evening she went to a New Year gathering and once again felt that she had eaten too much. It was a day of a quiet temple visit and familiar food.
Sources for this account
Haruru’s account shared on 18 January 2025 describes a quiet New Year visit to Ikegami Honmonji, preparations for Setsubun, a missed monkey performance and a return meal at 自慢亭. The restaurant name appears in her caption, plate and photograph annotation. The temple’s official English page confirms its name.