Nagoyama Cemetery — First Light of the New Year

The Story

The "First Sunrise" (Hatsuhinode) of the New Year is a deeply cherished tradition in Japan. The sight of the majestic white keep bathed in the fresh, golden light of the year's first morning, viewed from Nagoyama, is a perfectly divine landscape to mark a new beginning.

On New Year's Day 2026, the original plan was to capture the sunrise and the castle together from the highly popular Otokoyama Reservoir. However, the unexpected density of the crowds prompted a quick pivot to Plan B: Nagoyama Cemetery.

Since the winter sunrise isn't until around 7:00 AM, it doesn't require an extreme early wake-up call—though securing a prime spot at Otokoyama clearly demands much stronger dedication (a definite goal for next year!).

Nevertheless, adjusting the destination to Nagoyama was incredibly rewarding. Watching Himeji Castle gently take on a golden hue as it caught the first rays of the sun was a breathtaking and profoundly spiritual experience. While Otokoyama might offer a closer visual alignment of the sun and the castle, the pristine New Year's air and the radiant White Heron viewed from Nagoyama make this a truly magnificent scene worth seeking out.