Japanese New Year and Hatsumode: Pausing, Mindfulness, and Reflecting on Your Well-being

Happy New Year!

I hope that in 2026, we can continue to cherish moments together to connect with our hearts.

When the New Year begins, we often find our minds rushing ahead with thoughts like "I must change this year" or "I must achieve this."

But what really matters may be taking a moment to pause and simply notice where your mind and heart are.

In this blog, I would like to explore the Japanese New Year, the tradition of Hatsumode, and the value of quiet moments to reflect and restore your mind.

No Need to Make Wishes at Hatsumode and Doing Nothing over the Japanese New Year

― Choosing Not to Rush Your Mind in the New Year

When the New Year begins,

we often find ourselves leaning forward in our minds,

as if pushed by the mere fact that it is the New Year.

"I must get it right this year."

"I must change this year."

"I must move forward this year."

Even if no one told us to,

just because "it is the New Year,"

we may feel a subtle sense of a mental milestone,

a small psychological boundary marking a new beginning.

Yet at the same time,

our minds may feel behind,

unsure what goals to set,

and we may even find ourselves gently blaming

the parts of ourselves that are standing still.

But, truly,

was the Japanese New Year ever meant to make our minds rush like this?

The Quiet Time the Japanese New Year Used to Hold

During the Japanese New Year,

there was originally a slow, gentle passage of time.

Shops were closed,

people moved less,

and daily responsibilities and routines relaxed for a while.

It wasn’t necessarily to "start something,"

but more to restore the mind and body

that had endured the past year,

bringing everything back to a balanced state.

In modern times,

even New Year’s has become packed with plans,

creating an atmosphere of "You must spend it meaningfully."

Yet, historically, the New Year did not need efficiency, productivity,

or even a clearly defined purpose to be meaningful.

Hatsumode: Was It Really a Place to Make Wishes?

Hatsumode, the first shrine visit of the year in Japan,which many Japanese people visit to pray,is often associated with making wishes for health, success, or personal growth.

However, if we trace its origins,

it was less about requesting things for oneself,

and more about welcoming the Toshigami (the New Year deity worshipped in Japan),

reporting that one had safely passed the previous year,

and quietly marking the start of the days to come.

Before offering "the self I want to become,"

it was about acknowledging and welcoming

"the self that has lived up to this point."

It was less of a negotiation with the future,

and more a time to avoid leaving the present self behind.

What is the Mind Doing When No Wishes Come to Mind?

In counselling sessions, when words like "I want to change" or "I want to be better" arise,

often underneath lies a quiet, more urgent feeling that cannot be put into words.

"I want to feel safe."

"I need a little rest."

"I need a place where I don’t have to explain myself."

"I just want to avoid being hurt any further."

Wishes are not orders to the future,

but signals of the current state of the heart.

So, if no wishes arise in the New Year,

or you don’t know what to ask for,

it doesn’t mean you are not being positive

or that you are failing to grow.

On the other hand,

for those whose minds are racing with "I want to do this, I want to do that,"

whose goals and wishes are running ahead of them,

their hearts may struggle to catch up.

Our minds seek a pause,

but lists and ideals push us, leaving no space to rest.

In these moments, there is no need to blame yourself.

Stopping, feeling your current self,

is in itself preparation for the wishes and goals that will follow.

Before rushing ahead,

just breathe,

let your thoughts rest a little,

and your mind will recover quietly, naturally regaining its strength.

The Invisible Support of "Ma" During the New Year

It is said that humans have around 60,000 thoughts in a single day.

Some rise to our awareness,

while others flow unnoticed,

and we are almost constantly thinking while awake.

Japanese culture has the concept of "Ma" — the space or pause between things.

The silence between sounds.

The gap between movements.

The pause between words.

During the New Year, this "Ma" becomes slightly more perceptible.

The quiet wait at a shrine during Hatsumode,

the echo of clapping hands (kashiwade, a ritual hand clap at shrines) fading into the air)

or simply sitting quietly at home without particular plans,

turning off the TV or smartphone,

and feeling time flowing slowly.

Whether with someone else or alone,

there is a sense that "it is okay to do nothing."

In these moments,

there is no need to set goals

or justify being positive.

After tens of thousands of thoughts in a day,

the mind can relax naturally without reason.

People regain awareness of themselves

more in the moments they are allowed not to think

than when their minds are constantly active.

The "Ma" of the Japanese New Year

does not necessarily give something new;

it supports us invisibly by allowing us

to release our thoughts a little and notice the quiet that was already in our hearts.

The Value of Pausing in the New Year

It is okay if you cannot decide anything in the New Year.

It is okay if no wishes arise, or if you cannot feel positive.

This is not failure.

Conversely, for those whose minds are racing with "I want to do this, I want to do that,"

pausing and noticing your current self

is one of the most important things you can do.

Time without decisions.

Time without action.

Time simply to notice yourself now.

These moments are all part of the process of restoring the mind.

Even if no wish comes to mind,

there is no need to force one.

Simply taking "the self that has reached this point" with you

is itself a meaningful way to welcome the New Year,

reflecting the quiet care the Japanese New Year traditionally offers.

Counselling and Locus of Life

Counselling is not a place to find immediate answers.

Before deciding goals or being directed in the "right" direction,

it is a place to confirm together,

"Where is the mind right now?"

Sometimes silence arises during conversation.

Sometimes there is time without reaching conclusions.

But that "Ma" is essential,

as it allows the mind to start feeling safe.

Locus of Life is

**a counselling and mindful space that values time for returning safely to your current self.**

For those who have overworked themselves,

those accustomed to carrying burdens alone,

or anyone who just wants to pause for a moment,

it is a place to listen to the heart,

without rushing to answers,

and to let words emerge as they are, even if incomplete.

Even if you cannot start anything in the New Year,

knowing there is a place to return to

can already be enough support.