As you know, Japanese Shinto's top is Amaterasu-Ohomikami (The Sun goddess).
Japanese people have 4 important events that concern about the Sun's movement.
Vernal and autumnal equinox, Ohigan weeks.
Japanese visit grave of own ancestors and have a special ritual at home.
Summer solstice is the longest daytime.
And the most important day is winter solstice.(December 21 or 22)
Ancient people thought that it is a death of the Sun.
After the winter solstice, the Sun get power again.
Now,we already know that the solstice is natural phenomena, but ancient people rejoiced a lot about new born of the Sun.
Ancient ancestors had been worried about harvest.
People's main hardship and worries were agriculture and foods.
Therefore, the next day of winter solstice was treated as sacred revival celebration all over the world.
Christmas originates from the ancient celebration.
Jesus was a sacred messenger from "World of the Sun".
His birthday was not 12/25.
One important thing is that they knew the Sun's revival is not a matter of course.
New Sun has been given.
There is a severe one rule of the universe.
If you think something is a not special, it will be removed from you easily.
We all have to cherish and give thanks to nature.
All things are given by your ancestors and God.
Thanks to many given things, we are allowed to live in a convenient society.
On Sun anniversaries, it is really good to make a positive vow.
Good thought for "public or others" becomes your luck.
Not selfish wish for others is called Tai-Yoku in Japan.
It is a almost God's mind or level.
Tiny personal wishes will come true sooner or later if you do something to others.
Yes. Others first. If you are already a self-dependent person.
I mean a child can not help adults.
Also, having a traditional ritual for ancestors with longer incenses
in Ohigan weeks and on summer & winter solstice days is very meaningful too.
Because descendant's feeling of gratitude goes to their ancestors more directly
than usual.
Regular use incense / 5.5 inch
Anniversary incense / 9.5 inch / $20 at Kinokuniya book store in NY or Amazon US
You can use regular incenses on anniversaries too.
Please open windows which are away from your Butsudan table and be careful with fire alarms.
For fire prevention, do not leave your house during the ritual and you need to stay at home 30 min -1 hour after the ritual.
You don't have to stay with Butsudan in the same room.
I always do the ritual in my room and I stay in living room.
December "23" was the special day to Japanese people.
It is our former Emperor Akihito's birthday.
Akihito was the 125th Emperor.
He is from "World of the Sun" too.
The number of 125 is very important in top Shinto shrine, Grand shrine of ISE.
There are 125 shrines in Grand shrine of ISE.
Akihito is representing a rare major point of Japanese long Emperor's history.
He was a compilation of all of past Emperors.
His birthday is important because it is just after the winter solstice.
It means revival of the Sun.
He has strong spiritual connection with Ninigi, The grandson of Amaterasu.
Amaterasu → Ninigi → Jimmu,The first Emperor of Japan
The term between Ninigi and Jimmu took almost 1.8 million years.
It means human in the Earth is added new DNA from the Mars.
It took a lot of time to combine.
Prince Hisahito, the grandson of Akihito, has a strong spiritual connection with Jimmu.
Prince Hisahito will be a historic Emperor such as Jimmu.
Between Ninigi and Jimmu will be a hard period of Japan.
That is a preparation time for next world.
When Prince Hisahito become an Emperor,
nature worship also will be a common recognition in the world.
Don't afraid about it.
Your oldest ancestors believed that nature is God. The universe is God. Everything is God.
People will recall true worship again.
In Japan's mythology, Sun goddess Amaterasu gave him the three treasures.
These treasures became an imperial regalia of Japan later.
There were two Emperor lines at that time.
Earth derived and Mars derived lines, but the Earth derived Emperor gave up the Emperor's position after meeting with Mars derived Emperor.
In Japanese myth has true story about Japanese Emperor's line and history of the Earth.
Torii gate of Uji briege in Naiku at Grand shrine of ISE.
In winter solstice, the Sun rises from middle of the Torii.
Many people come to see the phenomenon and give thanks to God.
Yuzu-citrus bath and pumpkin dish are Japanese culture in winter solstice.