 | Welcoming Year 2004: Shinto priests leave the main shrine after a shinto ritual to usher off 2003 and prepare for the new year at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, December 31, 2003. Some two million people are expected to visit the shrine during the first three days in the new year to pray for long life and happiness. click to open  |
 | Welcoming Year 2004: Shinto priests walk toward the main shrine for a ceremony to usher off 2003 and prepare for the new year, at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, December 31, 2003. Some two million people are expected to visit the shrine during the first three days in the new year to pray for long life and happiness. click to open |
 | Welcoming Year 2004: Shinto priests walk through a wooden torii gate to leave the main shrine after a shinto ritual to usher off 2003 and prepare for the new year at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, December 31, 2003. Some two million people are expected to visit the shrine during the first three days in the new year to pray for long life and happiness. click to open |
 | Japanese Shinto priests make their way to a New Year ritualcelebration at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo Friday Dec 31 1999. Hundreds of thousands of people will visit the shrine for the millennium celebrations later in the evening. click to open |
 | Tens of thousands of worshippers flock to a Tokyo's Meiji Jingu Shrine Saturday, Jan. 1, 2000. Millions of Japanese are expected to visit temples and shrines for New YearŐs prayer, an annual tradition, throughout the country. click to open |
 | Scene of Tokyo: Meiji Jingu shrine click to open |
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