出遅れた初詣 The first visit to the shrines half a month delayed

 今年の初詣は風邪ひきがあって出遅れてしまいました。でもピーク時を過ぎての初詣はかえっていつもなら素通りの所に目と鼻が止まって新しい経験が出来ました。
　Our first visit to the shrines this year was delayed because of our bad cold. But it turned to be better timing to visit after the peak of busy, overwhelming time visited by so many visitors. We had  relaxing time and we had wider view of the premise so that we even enjoyed extra things which otherwise we might miss.

一つは参道の杉の木に楢の木が宿っているのをしっかり見たこと。　
　お杉さん、あなたと楢（なら）、安心して生きていけます。と言っているようでした。
もう一つは参道にある唯一のお土産やさんに寄って甘酒を堪能したこと。
  One of two things we were able to appreciate this time is that two huge and old Japanese cedar trees along the front approach to the shrine are gently protecting one mistletoe each just like their children. This mistletoe is not a cedar tree but a Japanese oak. This view looks like telling us "Dear Great Cedar, I feel I can go forward safely if I'm with you". A Japanese oak is prononced Nara in Japanese which means "If". It's a wordplay.
 One more thing is that we dropped in for the first time a souvenior
shop located on the corner of the front approach to Toshogu to enjoy Amazake, sweet Sake. A cup of Amazake made me warm and happy.

いつもは大勢の人の中で、前と足元しか見ていなかったのが、閑散とした境内に立って目に入った二荒山神社の裏山にそそり立つ杉山は圧巻でした。
 We also found this time the gorgeous and dynamic cedar forest in the back of the Futaara shrine. Thanks to a quiet atmosphere with only few people, we were able to appreciate more things which we cannot in the big crowd. The view of the cedar mountain highlightened our visit this year.