An estimated 93.37 million people visited shrines and temples during the first three days of the New Year, a record figure and up 4.07 million from a year before, the National Police Agency said Thursday.
The agency attributed the increase to good weather during the holiday period. The figure was the highest since 1974, when crowd estimates began to be compiled.
Meiji Shrine in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, drew the most visitors, at 3.05 million, followed by Shinshoji Temple in Narita, Chiba Prefecture, at 2.75 million, and Kawasaki Daishi Temple in Kawasaki at 2.72 million.
Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, attracted 2.69 million visitors and Atsuta Shrine in Atsuta Ward, Nagoya, drew 2.32 million.
The number of people who went to leisure and sightseeing spots fell to an estimated 3.74 million, down 126,000 from the previous year.
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