All 32 Keyakizaka members make New Year shrine visit

All 32 members of Keyakizaka46 -- Kanji and Hiragana -- went together on January 6 for the traditional hatsumoude, the first shrine visit of the new year.

They went, wearing their current uniforms, to a Hikawa shrine in Nakano known as Numabukuro Hikawa Jinja 沼袋氷川神社.

Habu Mizuho (left) and Sugai Yuuka at the shrine

Last year they went to Nerima Hakusan Jinja 練馬白山神社, which is nearby and apparently under the same administration. That shrine has a famous large (but somewhat decrepit) keyaki tree in its grounds.

Sugai Yuuka said she remembered that when they went last year it was when they were so busy preparing for their early Omotenashikai.

This year, she drew the fortune "great good fortune" (大吉 daikichi). "I don't know how long it has been since I got that!"


Neru said she got "good fortune" (吉 kichi). "May I pass the year in good health."

Saitou Kyouko was pleased that both parts of Keyakizaka46 went together, and said she was given the privilege of praying and drew the fortune "small good fortune" (小吉 shoukichi). "It's true, hatsumoude gives you a feeling of being refreshed !!!( ˊᵕˋ )♬"

Numakura Hikawa Jinja

Takase Mana said the visit felt like good start for the year. She was given the privilege of praying and her first fortune of the new year was also "small good fortune." The explanation said: "Slightly better luck than normal. Work hard from a basic position."

"Amazingly, that seems exactly right. In fact, my fortune last year was 'great good fortune'. And a lot of the other Hiraganas got the same. Maybe the fortune-telling at a shrine is accurate!"

"I got an omamori (a protective amulet) for the year and I will keep it safely with me as I go forward!"

Saitou Fuyuka said that all the staff went, too, along with the members. She got "great good fortune," as she did last year, at the other jinja. She wrote a wish on one of the small boards called ema, but says it's a secret what it was.

Other members may have referred to the event, but I haven't found one yet. Management put out an official report last year, so we may eventually get one this year, too.

Commenters wondered why they didn't go to the same shrine as last year. They also wondered why they went to a comparatively out-of-way shrine, instead of going to the same Nogi Jinja that Nogizaka do every year. It is quite close to Sony Music headquarters.