Interest

New Year's Wishes Get Moe in Akihabara

New Year's Day carries special traditions in Japan. One of the staples is going to the local shrine with an ema, or wooden plaque, usually depicting animals and Shinto imagery with wishes for the new year. The plaque is believed to be read by the gods themselves. The Kanda Myojin Shrine in Akihabara gets a special kind of New Year's wishes, called ita-ema. The "ita," literally meaning "pain" has the same root as itasha cars covered in anime characters. Abandoned are the traditional images in favor of one of Akihabara's best-known assets: anime girls!

What series were popular at Kanda Myojin this year? Check the images below.

[Via Danny Choo, Otakomu]