Ubusuna Shrine prepped and (almost) ready to go (?)...

There have been big changes at our local shrine in the last year. The local elders, who have been in charge of preparations for most of the shrine activities for years, decades really, resigned en masse in April. Really, there are no others who are prepared to replace them and their knowledge. The biggest question was, who would prepare and officiate the shrine for the New Years activities? Unlike last year, I was not asked to help or participate. These photos were taken before in the late afternoon of December 31, 2025, before the expected big rush at midnight. I have no idea who did the set-up. But it is very different and minimal compared to previous years.

UPDATE (post midnight 1/1/26): This post and its illustrations will be very important to understand the big changes from previous years. The photos from after midnight will be posted shortly. Please wait for a while...