Kadomatsu: New Year's Decoration

The kadomatsu (門松) at Goukoku Shrine, Niigata, are the largest I've seen in town. The individual elements are symbolic, with the matsu, or pine, signifying longevity, perpetuity and the bamboo, strength, growth, prosperity. Kadomatsu of this size may exceed 150,000 yen. The shrine itself is controversial inasmuch as it's part of the Yasukuni "Group", the Tokyo shrine where the souls of Japan's war dead, including war criminals, are honored.