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Japan: New Year's Eve is a popular time to visit certain Shinto shrines. Some of them are clearly helpful with those resolutions:
Kotohira-gu shrine in nearby Minato-ku is for those looking to give up vices like smoking, drinking and gambling.
But others deal with more realistic human aspirations:
Izuyama Jinja, another Shinto place of worship located in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, is best known for the tree on its grounds. The tree is called a butcher's broom, or nagi in Japanese and is named after Izanagi, the mythical god of Shinto legend whose spilled sperm formed the main Japanese islands. Carrying leaves from the tree is said to offer success in love.
Taking a bit both ways, according to Shukan Jitsuwa is Kyoto's Yasui Kompira, a shrine that offers people the chance to either find the love of their life, or get rid of an unwanted love. A stone's throw away is Ichidaninanano Jinja, a Shinto shrine that promises to requite unrequited love.
New Year shrines find pagan pilgrims looking for love, larger libidos - Mainichi Shimbun WaiWai, 31st December 2004. See also Unusual Japanese shrines - Pagan Prattle, 12th July 2002.
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