New Year in Japan: 10 Things to Know Before You Visit (2026 Guide)

10 Things to Know About New Year in Japan (Oshogatsu)

New Year in Japan, or Oshogatsu, closes most everyday businesses from December 31 through January 3, and the atmosphere shifts from tourist-paced to family-focused almost overnight. For a trip built around the 2026-2027 turn of the year, that closure window runs December 31, 2026, through January 3, 2027. Some businesses stay shut into January 4 as well. None of that makes the season worse to visit, only different. Shrines fill with hatsumode crowds, and the traditions below replace a typical countdown-party New Year's Eve. Most searches for this topic want a fast verdict plus the closures math, not encyclopedia-length history. Each item below links to a dedicated guide for anyone who wants full planning detail on that subtopic.

• What Oshogatsu Is and When It Falls
  • Shogatsu, also called Oshogatsu, is Japan's traditional New Year celebration and its most important holiday of the year.
  • Since 1873, Japan has marked the official New Year on January 1 under the Gregorian calendar, replacing the earlier lunisolar system.
  • The core holiday window runs from December 31 through January 3, with some businesses staying closed into January 4.
• Is Visiting Japan During New Year Worth It?
  • Expect a trade-off: most shops, restaurants, banks, and many museums close from December 31 through January 3, and residential neighborhoods go quiet.
  • In exchange, travelers gain access to hatsumode crowds, temple bell-ringing, and a version of Japan that feels domestic rather than tourist-driven.
  • Prioritize mid-to-late January instead if nightlife and full restaurant access matter more than tradition.
• Japan's New Year Traditions and Customs
  • Temples nationwide ring bells 108 times at midnight in a ritual called joya no kane, a Buddhist practice tied to releasing worldly desires.
  • Families give children cash gifts called otoshidama in decorated envelopes, often more than ¥5,000 for older kids.
  • Households also send New Year's cards called nengajo and decorate entrances with kadomatsu, and the Japanese New Year traditions guide covers each custom in more depth.
• New Year's Eve in Japan: What to Expect
  • Most households eat toshikoshi soba, a buckwheat noodle dish eaten just before midnight to mark a long, resilient year ahead.
  • Many families watch Kohaku Uta Gassen, an NHK music special pairing red and white teams of top artists against each other.
  • Unlike Western New Year's Eve, fireworks, countdown parties, and champagne toasts are not typical, and the New Year's Eve guide covers what replaces them.
• Hatsumode: The First Shrine Visit of the Year
  • Hatsumode is the year's first shrine or temple visit, usually made within the first three days of January.
  • The hatsumode timing guide breaks down when to go for the shortest waits.
  • Tokyo's Meiji Shrine has reported crowds in the millions across those three days in past years, and details on hours sit on the Meiji Shrine official site.
  • Kyoto's Fushimi Inari Taisha draws its own hatsumode crowds outside Tokyo, and lines at both sites are shortest a few days after January 3.
• Osechi Ryori and Other New Year Foods
  • Osechi ryori is a multi-tier lacquer box of cold, preserved dishes, each item chosen for a symbolic meaning like long life or prosperity.
  • Ozoni, a mochi soup with broth that changes by region, and otoso, a spiced sake, round out the New Year's table.
  • Pre-made osechi boxes range from single-tier sets to elaborate multi-tier versions costing several times more, and the Osechi Ryori Guide: Japan's New Year Food, Explained lists what to expect at each tier.
• Costs, Closures, and Money Logistics
  • Most shops, restaurants, banks, and many museums close from December 31 through January 3, and some stay shut into January 4.
  • Bank branches and many affiliated ATMs close for the holiday, so plan cash withdrawals several days ahead rather than relying on January 1 through 3.
  • IC transit cards keep working for trains and buses through the holiday, and full cash-vs-card guidance sits in the money and IC card guide.
• Chinese New Year Celebrations in Japan
  • Japan's own New Year moved to the Gregorian January 1 date in 1873.
  • Okinawa and the Amami Islands historically kept a lunar calendar tradition that's rarely observed today, and Chinese New Year runs on a separate lunar calendar unrelated to Oshogatsu.
  • Kobe's Nankinmachi district holds its own Chinese New Year celebrations on that lunar date, and its Nankinmachi Chinese New Year guide covers the dates and events.
• When to Go: New Year vs. the Rest of January
  • Early January means the deepest closures and the fullest shrines, while mid-to-late January reopens most restaurants and museums and eases hotel rates from the holiday peak.
  • Check the Japan in January guide for a week-by-week breakdown of what reopens.
  • Compare that month against the rest of the year using the best time to visit Japan guide.
• Planning Checklist: What to Pack and Mistakes to Avoid
  • Book trains and accommodations well ahead of December 31, since the year-end travel rush fills seats and rooms nationwide.
  • Pack cold-weather layers for shrine visits using the Japan Packing List: Seasonal & Essential Travel Guide as a starting checklist.
  • Broader trip logistics beyond the New Year window live in the Japan Travel Guide: Plan Your Trip with Expert Tips & Itineraries.

New Year Closures at a Glance

Japan's national tourism board publishes holiday-period advisories worth checking before departure, since exact hours can shift slightly by business and by year. Kyoto's official travel guide lists shrine and temple hours for the New Year period, useful for comparing against Tokyo's schedule.

Japanese New Year vs. Chinese New Year in Japan

Japan's own New Year and Chinese New Year are separate holidays that both get marked on Japanese soil. Confusing the two means missing either the quiet, nationwide Oshogatsu closures or a specific, local lunar-calendar celebration.

Mistakes to Avoid When Planning a New Year Trip

A few planning slips show up again and again for first-time visitors during Oshogatsu. Catching them ahead of time saves a wasted afternoon or an unplanned cash shortage.

• Assuming restaurants stay open as usual
  • Independent restaurants largely close from December 31 through January 3.
  • Hotel restaurants and a handful of chains are the more reliable options during that window.
• Relying on cards alone for cash
  • Banks and many affiliated ATMs close for the holiday.
  • Convenience-store ATMs and IC cards cover some gaps, but carrying extra cash ahead of December 31 avoids the shortfall.
• Visiting Meiji Shrine only on January 1
  • Crowds peak hardest on January 1 and stay heavy through January 3.
  • Waiting until January 4 or later trims the line considerably at major shrines.
• Expecting a countdown-party New Year's Eve
  • Fireworks, countdown crowds, and champagne toasts are not typical across most of Japan.
  • Toshikoshi soba and quiet time at home replace that scene for most households.
• Booking trains or hotels close to the date
  • Seats and rooms fill fast during the year-end travel rush nationwide.
  • Booking well ahead of December 31 protects both budget and flexibility.