Ringing in the year of the wood snake

This year, 2025, is the year of the snake in the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese zodiac has a twelve year cycle, but there is also a 60 year cycle in Chinese astrology which includes the elements. This year is specifically the year of the wood snake. I was also born in the year of the snake, but the fire snake. 

Because this year is 'my' zodiac I really wanted to go to a snake shrine or temple for the occasion. But in Saitama Prefecture the most famous, Gouzenin, is in Kawaguchi city, which is too far away from where I live. Thankfully, as a regular visitor to Kawagoe Kumano Shrine, I knew about the auxiliary snake shrine on the grounds and that is very close to home. 

Its still Hatsumode season at Kawagoe Kumano Shrine. As I wrote in a post about Hatsumode on City-cost yesterday, you can pay your first respects / say your first prayers of the year at a temple or shrine at any time, but Setsubun on February 3rd is said to mark the end of the season. Moreover, each temple and shrine decide their own Hatsumode period. At Kawagoe Kumano Shrine the official hatsumode period is the full month of January.