New Year’s 1st sunrise seen amid fine weather in Tokyo

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:16 JST, January 1, 2023

The New Year got off to a good start in terms of weather on the Pacific coasts of Japan on Sunday.

The first sunrise of the year dawned, welcoming clear blue skies in many places.

Around 6:30 a.m. near Ogi-Ohashi Bridge, which spans the Arakawa River in Adachi Ward, Tokyo, many families were among the sunrise watchers waiting for the sun. Many had come in cars that were parked on the street.

Just before 7 a.m., the deep orange hue of the sun peeked out from between the buildings on the horizon.

The gathering that had been waiting for this moment turned their cameras to the light, careful to protect their eyes from the sun. On the opposite side to the west, Mt. Fuji was visible, the snow on the mountaintop slightly reddened by the sunlight.

Many wished for a happy 2023.

“It was beautiful,” said a fourth-grade girl watching with her family in the chilly weather. “I want to make it a good year.”