TOKYO -- Many people prayed for prosperous and safe business operations throughout the year at Kanda Myoujin shrine in the Japanese capital's Chiyoda Ward on Jan. 6, the first workday of 2025 for many companies.

Kanda Myoujin is located near major office districts such as Otemachi and Marunouchi, and it is customary for many company executives and employees to visit it on the first workday of the year. According to the shrine, there were about 2,000 reservations for receiving prayers for corporate and other groups on Jan. 6 alone, concentrated on the one day compared to last year and the year before when the schedule was more spread out.

Despite the rain starting in the early afternoon, people lined up to pray.

Kumiko Aoyama, a 24-year-old employee at a nearby real estate firm, said that she prayed "for a smooth year without any trouble and for increased sales."

Norio Shigeta, the 84-year-old president of a machinery sales trading company, said, "I want to adapt to new changes with the help of the gods. I prayed for world peace as ending the war in Ukraine and other conflicts is necessary for economic development."

(Japanese original by Takashi Yonee, Tokyo City News Department)