On the last day of the year, many people form a long line at shrine for Hatumoude, which means first shrine visit of New Year, to wish their happy new yaer. As soon as they see the new year, they start pray and wish for their health and happiness of the year.
Then they buy Omikuji, which is like lottery or fortune cookie, to divine their luck of the year. If the outcome of the Omikuji is bad, they tie it on the pole at the shrine with their nondominannt hand, then leave it. Japanese consider that if you do so, the bad luck turns to good luck. On the other hand, they keep the Omikuji if it is good.
Some Japanese buy Ema, which is a wooden board painted the animal of the year. They write their wish on the other side of Ema, then hung it at the shrine. Japanese believe that the god grants their wishes if they do so.
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