What to do for New Year's Eve in Japan — our staff recommendations!
- Published on : 26/11/2025
- by : Phoebe
- Youtube
Temple in Japan
@Unsplash
Visiting Japan for the New Year? Although most businesses close their doors for the first three days of January, the archipelago is full of activities to celebrate the New Year. To get 2026 off to the best possible start, Japan Experience reveals its picks for New Year's Eve in several Japanese cities!
Traditions all over Japan
Oshogatsu, the Japanese New Year, is one of the most important celebrations on the calendar. December 31st and the first three days of January are punctuated by festivities throughout the archipelago. We'd like to introduce you to these traditional events:
Joya no Kane: the 108-bell ceremony
On the night of December 31, the bells of Buddhist temples ring out 108 times (Joya no Kane) to symbolize the purification of sins and renewal. Japanese families visit temples to pray and write their wishes on ema (wooden plaques). If you do go to the temple, choose small, local temples and avoid tourist sites such as Meiji Jingu in Tokyo, which are often overcrowded.
Toshikoshi soba and mochi: dishes for good luck
A few tasty dishes are said to bring good luck on New Year's Eve:
- Toshikoshi soba: Served in a hot broth, soba represents longevity and prosperity. They are traditionally eaten before midnight to "leave behind the difficulties of the past year."
- Mochi: Rice cakes are a symbol of good luck. Caution: Their chewy texture can be dangerous for young children and the elderly—consume with care!
Fukubukuro and New Year sales
From January 1st onwards, stores offer lucky bags (fukubukuro), surprise bags filled with products whose value often exceeds their retail price, sometimes by as much as 10 times! It's also the start of the winter sales (hatsu-uri). An ideal season for bargains!
Hatsu-Hinode: the first sunrise
On January 1, hundreds of Japanese gather on beaches and mountains to admire the first sunrise (Hatsu-Hinode), a symbol of hope and rebirth. Popular spots include Mount Takao, the Ise Shrine (Mie prefecture) and the Kamakura coast.
Shirohige Shrine, Lake Biwa
@Masoud Akbari on Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Tokyo
Oji Inari Matsuri
This is our team's favorite event in Tokyo! Dedicated to Inari, the fox deity of harvest and prosperity, the festival sees hundreds of people dressed as foxes parade through the streets of Oji, accompanied by drums and lanterns. A mystical and festive atmosphere to end the year on a high note!
Editor's tip: get there early to take advantage of the food stalls (before 9 p.m.) and find a prime spot in preparation for the parade!
Children at the Inari Matsuri
PhL
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
ADDRESS: 1 Chome-12-26 Kishimachi, Kita City, Tokyo 114-0021
HOURS: around 10pm
WEBSITE: tokyo-jinjacho.or.jp
Oji Inari Shrine
@Tidus Lin on Flickr,CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Geikosai at Mount Takao
At Mount Takao, this Buddhist ritual, led by yamabushi monks (mountain hermits), celebrates the end of the year with prayers, chanting and sacred fires. At the summit, participants can drink sake and watch the first sunrise. Good to know: bring a headlamp for the ascent on the night of December 31, as the hiking trails are not lit at night!
FURTHER INFORMATION
ADDRESS: Yakuoin temple, 2177 Takaomachi, Hachioji, Tokyo 193-8686, Japan
OPENING HOURS: until 4:30 p.m. on January 1
WEBSITE: takaosan.or.jp
New Otani Hotel mochitsuki
That's what Giulia, our Tour Guide Manager, recommends! On January 1, Hotel New Otani organizes a mochitsuki workshop, the traditional preparation of mochi. The workshop is followed by a tasting session to start the year on a gourmet note. Giulia's advice: eat slowly to avoid ending up in the emergency room on New Year's Day!
FURTHER INFORMATION
ADDRESS: 4-1 Kioicho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 102-8578
TIMETABLE: 2 pm and 3:30 pm
WEBSITE: www.newotani.co.jp
Making mochi
@Wikimedia, royalty-free
Ibaraki
New Year's events at Ushiku Daibutsu
The Ushiku Daibutsu temple is a popular place of pilgrimage on New Year's Eve. The festivities begin with a countdown on December 31, followed by a fireworks display at exactly midnight on January 1. The fireworks illuminate the 120-metre-high Buddha - one of the three largest Buddha statues in the world.
FURTHER INFORMATION
ADDRESS: 2083 Kunocho, Ushiku, Ibaraki 300-1288
OPENING HOURS: around 10 p.m
WEBSITE: daibutu.net
Ushiku Daibutsu
@LiamZhao on Shutterstock
Consider the JR Pass for easy travel throughout Japan!
The Japan Rail Pass or JR Pass is a single pass giving unlimited access to the JR (Japan Railways) network in Japan for 7, 14 or 21 days. It's the most economical and by far the most practical option for those wishing to travel by train in Japan.
N700 Shinkansen high-speed train on the Tokaido line
@Wikimedia
OSAKA
Countdown to Universal Studios Japan
Very popular on the evening of December 31st, Universal Studios Japan offers a countdown with attractions and shows all night long. A fun way to ring in the New Year.
FURTHER INFORMATION
ADDRESS: 2 Chome-1-33 Sakurajima, Konohana Ward, Osaka, 554-0031
HOURS: 7pm on December 31st to 5pm on January 1st
WEBSITE: www.usj.co.jp
Seven Gods of Fortune walk
In Japan, the Seven Gods of Luck (Shichifukujin) have been symbols of good fortune for centuries. According to tradition, visiting their respective shrines at the start of the year will bring good luck for the next twelve months. In Osaka discover their shrines over a 12 km stretch, starting at the castle. The route also takes you to the emblematic Seven Slopes of Tennoji, where every step is a good opportunity to receive blessings!
FURTHER INFORMATION
ADDRESS: 1-1 Osakajo, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 540-0002
WEBSITE: osakacastle.net
The 7 gods of luck
@Wikimedia, royalty-free
KYOTO
Sunrise on the Sanjo Ohashi Bridge
Who says you have to climb to the top of a mountain to see the first sunrise of the year? In Kyoto, the best place in the city center to enjoy the first rays is the Sanjo Ohashi Bridge. Please note: the sunrise will be about 30 minutes later than the official time, due to the mountains to the east of the city.
FURTHER INFORMATION
ADDRESS: Ohashicho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8004
Sanjo Ohashi
@Richard Murdey on Flickr,CC BY-NC 2.0
Hatsumode at Heian Shrine
Located close to the city center, the Heian Shrine is an attractive alternative for celebrating Hatsumode (the first shrine visit of the year) away from the crowds. All the more so this winter, as the shrine plays host to the NAKED collective's sound and light show, in an exceptional event lasting until January 18.
FURTHER INFORMATION
ADDRESS: 97 Okazaki Nishitennocho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 606-8341
HOURS: 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm
WEBSITE: yoru-mo-de.naked.works
HIROSHIMA
Chinkasai Matsuri: fire prevention festival at Itsukushima Shrine
Every December 31st on the island of Miyajima, the Itsukushima Shrine organizes a fire ceremony. A torch is lit by the shrine's priests before being carried by local residents, who are then given individual torches to take home as talismans.
FURTHER INFORMATION
ADDRESS: 1-1 Miyajimacho, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima 739-0588
HOURS: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
WEBSITE: miyajima.or.jp
Chinkasai Festival
@GetHiroshima.com on Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
December Purification at Hiroshima Gokoku Shrine
December purification is a Shinto ritual designed to cleanse the body and mind of impurities accumulated during the year. At the Gokoku Shrine in Hiroshima, priestesses perform traditional dances to bless the crowds on December 31st. Food stalls are also set up for several days.
FURTHER INFORMATION
ADDRESS: 21-2 Motomachi, Naka Ward, Hiroshima, 730-0011
HOURS: from 5 p.m
WEBSITE: h-gokoku.or.jp
Traveling to Japan at the end of the year? Consider regional passes for easy visits to the Kansai region
FUKUOKA
Oshiroi Matsuri
On December 2, at the Oyamazumi shrine in the town of Asakura (Fukuoka Prefecture), locals engage in an ancestral ritual not uncommon in Japan: applying a white powder (oshiroi) to the face to attract good luck for the coming year. Beware: it's said that if you don't wash your face before going home, the magic will happen!
FURTHER INFORMATION
ADDRESS: 1432 Hongo, Tachiarai, Mii District, Fukuoka 830-1211
HOURS: from 2pm
WEBSITE: ohmatsuri.com
Oshiroi Matsuri
@ohmatsuri.com
Yanagawa Boat-Kotatsu
Yanagawa, the "City of Water" in Fukuoka Prefecture, is an ancient castle town, famous for its 930 km network of canals. From December 1 to February 28, a traditional boat equipped with a kotatsu takes you on the waters of Yanagawa, for a bucolic experience not to be missed.
FURTHER INFORMATION
ADDRESS: 35 Okibata-cho, Yanagawa, Fukuoka, Japan Yanagawa City Tourist Association
TIMETABLE: Depends on the cruise. Please consult the official website of each boat company
WEBSITE: www.yanagawa-net.com
Tama-tori Matsuri
Every January 3, the Hakozaki Shrine in Fukuoka's Higashi district hosts one of Kyushu's three biggest festivals: the Tama-tori Matsuri (or Tama-seseri). More than 500 years old, the festival revolves around a night-time ritual in which hundreds of men in fundoshi gather in the main pavilion before the lights go out. In the darkness, the priests drop one or more sacred balls (tama), triggering a melee in which participants fight to seize them. Whoever manages to emerge from the shrine with a tama is considered to have received good fortune and prosperity for the year. The highly supervised festival attracts large numbers of visitors every year.
Tama-tori Matsuri
@IStock
FURTHER INFORMATION
ADDRESS: Hakozaki Shrine, 1-22-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka city
SCHEDULE: between 1pm and 2:30pm
WEBSITE: hakozakigu.or.jp
Tama-tori Matsuri
@Olly Francis on Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Looking for a breath of fresh air? Discover our nature activities
At home
For those who prefer to celebrate New Year's Eve in the warmth of home, like our Circuit Product Manager, Charlotte, there are several options in keeping with New Year's Day traditions:
- Watch Rizin, the big December 31 MMA gala, or the legendary Kōhaku Uta Gassen, the country's most-watched music show, while enjoying toshikoshi soba.
- Go to the local karaoke bar for an early-morning session with friends.
Wishing you all the best for the festive season!
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