Visiting Washinomiya Shrine 2008-2009 (Pilgrimage to Lucky Star's Home !) Washimiya-Satte City, Saitama

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Visiting Washinomiya Shrine 2008-2009 (Pilgrimage to Lucky Star's Home !) Washimiya-Satte City, Saitama

January 25, 200910:30 PM | Contributor:akiba

Visiting Washinomiya Shrine 2008-2009 (Pilgrimage to Lucky Star's Home !) Washimiya-Satte City, Saitama After the huge success of the anime "Lucky Star", the number of visitors between January 1st and 3rd to the oldest shrine in Kanto, Washinomiya Shrine in Saitama had 120,000 more visitors than last year for the total of 420,000 people this year.

Washinomiya city has started selling original products that the economic effect is said to be worth 100 million yen.

We have reported the "pilgrimage" to Washinomiya Shrine the past 2 years and this year we will be giving you a photo report of the visit from new year's eve to new year's day!

We tagged along our favorite otaku from Saitama, Yamaken and his friend PY. Like before, no formal requests were needed.

The route was the same from last year. Arriving at Washinomiya city, year-crossing at Washinomiya Shrine, going Satte city, to Sachinomiya Shrine. Learning a lesson from last year where we unable to find a cab, we used a car this year.

After finishing up all the work, grabbed the equipment for the report (and stuff to take home afterwards), made a rendez-vous with the two. PY drove his "Itashya" from his home in Nara, we hopped on and headed for Washinomiya. While listening to a "Lucky Star Drama CD", Yamaken analyzed that there will be many fans that will "Mawasu"* and he himself will do likewise.

*"Mawasu" is a term used by active otakus and subcultural event participants where people would hop from one event tp another. In this case, Going to the Comic market from the 28th to the 30th, browsing Akihabara on the 31st, visiting Washinomiya Shrine for the year-crossing to the I've Live at Budokan on the 2nd.


With the lightly stickered "Itasya"-ed PY's Honda Accord Euro-R		Convenience Store at Washinomiya around 10:30PM People lining up to buy the limited "nendoroid-petit"

As we near our destination, the number of group that seems to share the same likings increases. We find a line at a Convenience store in Washinomiya city. As we guessed, the line was people waiting to buy the limited edition of "nendoroid Lucky Star New Year Capsule ver." that are sold at Washinomiya Shrine and some CV's nearby from December 31st to January 3rd. But a shop clerk came out to announce that it has been sold out. It only need roughly 90minutes from its sales from 9PM to be sold out.


A small shop we found on our way to the shrine working overtime.			Selling Lucky Star T-shirts and costumes.Displaying Lucky Star Mikoshi (portable shrines)

Although we still had time, we parked the car and headed to Washinomiya Shrine. Seeing shop still open at that time and the displaying of the portable shrine showed the city was taking this seriously.

There was already a long line as we reached Washinomiya Shrine. And space for stalls that there were two at most last year has expanded drastically with many selling "Lucky Star" goods. Further down the way, "Sacred nen-petit lot festival in Washinomiya" by Good Smile Company was deployed. There, people bought and traded their figures.


There were many stalls at Washinomiya Shrine for goods realating "Lucky Star" of Bandai and Kadokawa shoten and other publishers.


(2 pics on the left)Drawing the most crowd was the "Sacred nen-petit lot festival in Washinomiya" by Good Smile Company.Seeing the space for people to wait, there seemed to be a pretty long line... （2 pics on the right）The 3 of us tried our luck 6 times and got 4 Kagamis and 2 Konatas. Got 2 oracles that read "Great Misfortune"...

We gave it a shot and the results were: 1 Konata for Yamaken. 3 Kagamis and 1 Konata for PY, and 1 Kagami for myself. A partisan that noticed PY had doubles came and offered to trade. He told us he had 3 complete sets.

There was a crowd around the entrance after we went around to see the stalls. The special new year's day edition of Saitama Times were being sold. We bought one to see "Lucky Star" printed large on the front page. Information about the author and news about the building of related facilities were reported as well as a newly written comic.


Saitama Times selling their new year special issue. It seemed as it was a all "Lucky Star" issue from its contents and many fans were buying them in twos and threes. There were some non-fans buying then thinking they were "normal" newspapers.

And finally, the countdown. Was not as lively as last year, but the "Balsamico-su!" call was enough to feel the fans' heat. We then went to "ootori Jyaya". Though the shop had many customers, we did not have to wait that much. We left the shrine after we checked out some of the otaku-style pictorial offering,believing the hopes and wishes are surely to be delivered by the Hiragi sisters,


Right after the countdown	First meal of 2009 at "Ootori Jyaya". Noodles and heated sake warmed up our chilled bodies.


「大酉茶屋」前の黒板にはコミケを意識した絵や地元のホビーショップのPOPがあった		Message board in front of "ootori Jyaya" had pictures imageing the comic market and posters of hobby shops in town. "Ita-Ema" was extermely popular. Many wished for the 2nd season to start.

Got back to the car to head for "Sachinomiya Shrine" in Satte city where Konata is said to live to give the new year's greeting. Although we walked around looking for her, we were unable to find her. But we think we got a gist of a blessing of "The Legendary Girl A" so we were fine by that.


"Sachinomiya Shrine" in Satte city. For we arrived after the main time zone, it seemed we were the only ones there.

Our tour ended after we went around the small shrines and shopping areas nearby. This year's tour seemed too easy compared to the suffering of last year. We would like thank PY for his driving duties and Yamaken sharing his info and analysis of the area.

Having the OVA released in 2008, we wish "Lucky Star", both Washinomiya and Satte cities, and of course the fans the best for 2009.


Third visit in 2009.		Yamken reacting Konata's father, Soujiro from the anime's opening credits and PY taking photos of the panel.