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Japanese New Year Food and Traditions – New Year in Tokyo

Visiting in Tokyo in December is a great way of understanding Japanese New Year food and traditions, one of the country’s most important celebrations.

While Christmas Day is a normal working day in Japan (albeit one where it has become a custom to eat Kentucky Fried Chicken of all things – there’s a really interesting programme on the BBC World Service about this tradition), many businesses tend to close down for the new year period, usually from around the 28th December to the 4th January. Certainly most will be closed on the 1st to the 3rd January but some businesses may close for longer in order that proprietors and employees can spend time with their families. This means that if you are sightseeing, some ryokan may not be receiving guests and some museums and attractions will be closed.

We were in Japan around new year 2019-2020, our last trip before the world changed so dramatically.

See the Lights in Shibuya

Shibuya is a vibrant, bustling district in Tokyo which has loads of shops and restaurants. Its most famous features are found close to the station.

Its road crossing is possibly one of the best known in the world as it has featured in numerous films and adverts.

Apparently its nickname is ‘scramble’ because at its busiest time over 2,500 people can cross the road in the two minutes that the pedestrian lights allow.

As new year approaches, the crossing was the place to join the celebrations for those wanting a party. We visited in the afternoon as preparations were underway and also got to see some of the lights in the surrounding area.

The statue of Hachiko is a famous Shibuya landmark. Hachiko was an Akito dog owned by a professor in the 1920s. The professor used to go to work and each day his dog would wait for him to return at the station in the evening. The professor died in 1925 but Hachiko would still wait for him every evening for a decade until his own death. It’s a very moving story of canine loyalty and a statue was erected to the dog outside the station in 1934. Of course, he is dressed for the occasion at this time of year.

Japanese New Year Tradition

Japanese New Year FoodNoodles in Shinjuku

One of the traditional things to do on New Year’s Eve is to eat Toshikoshi Soba – year-end noodles. The principle is that long noodles equate to a long life, so they represent longevity and good luck. This is a popular tradition and soba shops are likely to be busy on New Year’s Eve. We had a wonderful meal with a dear friend at lunchtime at the food hall in Takashimaya Times Square, the vast department store just south of Shinjuku station, which has a variety of wonderful restaurants located on the top two floors. We chose the soba restaurant there. We had to queue for around 40 minutes which wasn’t a problem – it had such a nice atmosphere.

Once seated you are not rushed to finish your meal, even though there will be people waiting outside. If you want to dine on noodles in the evening your wait may be much longer – we saw very long queues in Shinjuku later that night.

We ordered the set menu which came with tempura and other treats. It wasn’t cheap but it wasn’t bank-breakingly expensive and the entire meal was simply divine.

The noodles are presented on a traditional platter and appear to arrive in the most enormous mound but, on closer inspection, actually have been cleverly placed on a conical tray.

Soba are buckwheat noodles that can be served hot or cold – on a winter’s day, hot was definitely the best way to enjoy them.

Japanese new year food

You are provided with a broth which you can season to your liking and then you dip the noodles in the broth. It is polite to slurp in Japan! (Which, when you’ve been brought up not to slurp your soup, is surprisingly difficult!)

Japanese new year food

As we were finishing the restaurant staff came around with a small teapot filled with a hot, white opaque broth. This was sobayu, the water that that the noodles had been boiled in. We mixed it with our leftover sauce, added any further condiments and drank it – it’s a very satisfying way to finish off the meal.

Back To The Hotel to Watch TV

New year is a family time and one particular Japanese new year tradition is that people stay home to see the new year in together. Kōhaku Uta Gassen is the NHK (the national broadcaster) TV channel’s new year show which has been running since the 1950s. It is a national custom to watch Kōhaku on New Year’s Eve. The format of the show is that popular singers, musicians and bands are invited to join and each are assigned to one of two teams – red and white. They each perform throughout the evening and the audience and judges decide which team was the best. Quite often western performers will take part as well. At the end of the show, just before midnight, everyone sings Hotaru no Hikari, a song similar to Auld Lang Syne. We spent some time in the early evening at our business hotel to catch some of the songs before heading out to see in the new year.

Seeing in the New Year

There are several choices depending on how you are feeling. Shibuya was the place to go for a party atmosphere. The famous road crossing was usually filled with people waiting to see the new year in and the atmosphere guaranteed to be lively. However, in recent years, the event in Shibuya has been cancelled (even post-Covid), so check the local news if you are planning on going out. Other locations include Tokyo Tower, which has a countdown to the New Year, and Tokyo Disney and Disney Sea has traditionally had fireworks displays on New Year’s Eve. There will also be celebratory parties and countdown events in hotels and izakaya across the city.

We chose to visit the Meiji Jingū. It’s one of Japan’s most important shrines, a Shinto shrine, just a couple of stops from Shinjuku, where we were staying. Meiji Jingū is a lovely place to visit at any time. It is set in a large, forested park which is very pleasant to wander through and is a completely serene contrast to the hustle and bustle of neon urban Tokyo. There are several JR stops that you can use to reach the shrine. We disembarked at Harajuku, the district where the cool kids hang out, and followed the crowds heading towards the shrine. We arrived at around 11:30 pm and were by no means the first people there. It’s a pleasant stroll from the beautiful wooden Torii at the entrance.

You need to bear in mind that it’s a one-way system as you walk through. You will see traditional lanterns and rows of sake barrels along the way.

Then we stopped at the barrier which had TV screens showing pictures of the crowd as it assembled and the shrine itself. We weren’t too far from the front but were still some way from the shrine. Even though the area was very crowded, everything was typically well-organised and there was a quiet buzz of excitement.

As the new year dawned 108 bells rang out. This is actually a Buddhist (Japan’s other main religion) custom, the number represents 108 temptations and the bell ringing is to reject 108 worldly desires. The bell is actually rung 107 times on the last day of the old year and just once after midnight. The bell rings aren’t uniform in length – some of the bells are rung in quicker succession than others.

We were reasonably close to the front at the Meiji shrine but it still took us around 45 minutes to reach the Naien, the inner area, which contains the shrine buildings. Marshalls were present wielding signs in both Japanese and English and beckoned visitors either to approach, or to ‘wait a short while, please’ before coming forward. This means that smaller groups of visitors were able to visit the shrine and offer prayers without it becoming over-crowded. It was an excellent system, especially as everyone co-operated beautifully.

Japanese New Year Tradition at Meiji shrine

When it was our turn, it wasn’t really possible to undertake the full Hatsumōde but we threw our coins, bowed, clapped and made our wishes and prayers for the new year. The Meiji shrine is the most famous shrine to visit and apparently attracts over three million visitors in the first three days of each year. A lot of people don’t quite make it to the very front of the queue.

Outside the main temple area there are stalls with refreshments and it’s possible to hang out and enjoy the atmosphere. We then walked back to Yoyogi station, where we knew the platforms were likely to be less crowded than Harajuku, and we hopped onto a very full, but joyous, train on the Yamanote line, just one stop back to Shinjuku. As we arrived back at our hotel, a barrel of sake had been opened in the lobby and we were invited to partake of a cup. We greeted the hotel staff, ‘Akemashita, omedetou gozaimasu!’ – meaning: the new year has dawned, congratulations!

Hatsumōde – Visiting a Temple

Another Japanese new year tradition is visiting a temple within the first three days of the year. Although we had been amongst the first to undertake Hatsumōde at the Meiji shrine the night before, we met up with our friend in Kichijoji. (Also, because we were out at the shrine to see in the new year, we hadn’t found out whether the red or the white team had won Kōhaku, so she was able to update us with this important information.)

Hatsumōde is considered to be a very important part of welcoming the new year and there will be queues at temples. We met quite early and had to queue for around 30 minutes. It was all very organised and the atmosphere lively.

Japanese New Year Tradition Hatsumode

There is a certain ritual that one undertakes when visiting a Shinto shrine. It is absolutely fine for anyone from any religion, or none, to visit a shrine and make an offering. First of all, it is important to purify oneself before entering the shrine. This is called ‘temizu’.

Approach the chozuya, which is a small pavilion which contains a purification font filled with water. There are multiple ladles laid next to the basin. Holding the ladle in your right hand, pour water over your left. Change hands and repeat. Change hands and then pour a little water into your left hand and take it into your mouth. You aren’t supposed to swallow the water but to spit it delicately into the drain.

Then walk up to the shrine itself and make an offering by throwing a coin. The monetary value isn’t important but 5 yen and 50 yen coins are considered to be lucky. Go-en (5 yen) sounds like ‘goen’ which means ‘good luck’ in Japanese.

Then you should bow deeply, from the waist, twice, then clap your hands twice, to show reverence to the kami-sama (the god; kami can also be interpreted as a spirit). Keep your hands together for a silent prayer.

We were delighted to be invited to our friend’s family home to enjoy osechi-ryōri, traditional new year foods.

Japanese New Year Food

New year is a time for feasting and there are some dishes that are particularly associated with celebrations. Osechi-ryōri comprises lots of little dishes beautifully presented. Much of the food is prepared in advance so that the whole family can eat together rather than spending loads of time in the kitchen.

The quintessential Japanese new year food is mochi. These are rice balls made by pounding steamed sticky rice with a big mallet in a large wooden container to achieve a stretchy and slightly sticky consistency. This is then formed into little rice dumplings. They have an unusual texture – very soft and delightfully squidgy. New year mochi is called kagami mochi and comprises two mochi balls one set on top of the other, with a tangerine on top.

Mochi may be flavoured and/or filled with all sorts of ingredients. Matcha green tea, milk flavouring and azuki bean paste are popular fillings. Sometimes the mochi will have a sesame coating.

Matcha mochi with azuki bean filling is delicious:

Kazunoko is a popular new year dish. It is marinated seasoned herring roe. The roe is yellow in colour and comprises hundreds of eggs all bound together. The texture is surprisingly crunchy and the flavour slightly salty. It is usually marinated overnight in ingredients such as dashi (Japanese stock), soy sauce and sake. We were lucky to enjoy home-made kazunoko marinated in sake lees and it was delicious. The multiple eggs in the roe are symbolic of a large family. The kuzunoko can be served on its own or with other delicious ingredients, in this case, with prawns and a scallop on top of cucumber.

Kobumaki is a piece of kelp seaweed. It will have been simmered for a while to soften and is one of the Japanese new year food traditions is to present it in the shape of a bow. An alternative serving is a roll of kombu tied with a strip of dried daikon (a white radish); this is called hoshi daikon. Further variations include wrapping the kombu around a piece of meat or fish. The word ‘kombu’ also means ‘joy’ in celebration of a joyous day.

Sushi is not usually part of osechi-ryōri but it is a celebratory food and is often eaten on special occasions. It would be unusual for Japanese families to make their own sushi – they would leave it to the experts and buy some in.

sushi selection

Retail Therapy

Another Japanese new year tradition is Fukubukuro. When the shops reopen many will offer lucky bags – sealed bags or boxes – containing random merchandise. The value of the goods inside are greater than the price you would normally pay and sometimes you may – by sheer luck – end up with some very cool products. We met up with a dear friend in Nakano Broadway the following day and found a Lucky Box stall. At just 300 Yen we didn’t have high expectations but it was fun seeing what was in the box.

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39 Comments

    • It’s a really wonderful place to celebrate new year – and it’s such an important holiday in Japan. There are so many great places to visit… and that’s just in Tokyo. The food is absolutely divine as well.

  1. I never knew long noodles equate to a long life – I always wondered why they were so long as it seemed difficult to eat them – and I could never slurp. As you mention I’m one of those people who have been brought up that it is impolite – strange how opposites to one’s uprbringing can be re-interpreted!
    I explored Meiji Jingū temple when in Tokyo during Summertime and had read it was busy at New Year. I was lucky to see it without the crowds and its beautiful, but your wonderful description of the offerings and traditions made me wish I had been there at NY. I saw the lanterns on the road in but didn’t realise they could be lit up at night as your photo shows. Your info on the NY traditions in Japan really make me want to go back there at NY to experience these lovely rituals and practices.
    Loved the detail on the food items, as I got to eat very little of it while in Japan as I knew so little about what the ingredients were – now I know, thanks.

    • Thank you so much! It really was magical to be able to spend new year in Japan as it is such an important holiday there. The food was delicious – we hadn’t tried some of the new year dishes before and that was a great experience.

  2. Japan has a lot of cool and unique traditions that are done around Christmas to New Year’s. I’d love to have the opportunity to explore a country during this time of year to see what types of traditions they have and how it differs to traditions in the states. I loved this post and all the cool details you gave about the traditions and things to do in Japan during this time of year!

    • The KFC tradition is really strange. We’d much prefer Japanese fried chicken – karaage! But you can’t go wrong with mochi – we love it!

  3. Great read! Brings back fond memories of my favourite big city destination in the world.

    As usual, it’s great to have your insights into the culinary traditions. KFC for Xmas does sound funny. I earmarked that BBC thingy.

    Tokyo wouldn’t be an obvious choice to me for the New Year, but you certainly sound like you’ve had a great time.

    • Thank you so much. Japan is our favourite country in the world – we would go back in an instant. We had a truly wonderful time at new year and really enjoyed experiencing the traditional activities – and the food!

  4. Love this post! That’s really interesting about the bells and what they signify. I also love the idea of the lucky boxes, haha. Sounds like it would be a really cool place to spend New Years. I want to go to Japan so bad!

    • Thank you so much! We loved the bells and were surprised at how they chimed. We had a lovely time on NYE. Really hoping you’ll make it to Japan soon!

  5. I love New Years Eve and am completely enchanted with your experience!! Now I have a new bucket list destination for NYE! The food, the celebration, the shrine and the politeness!

    • Thank you so much. Japan is definitely a great place to experience new year traditions and celebrations. The politeness and patience was brilliant – and is to be found all year round!

  6. What an interesting read. I had no idea about Japanese New Year traditions but can certainly get onboard with eating soba noodles ( we all want to live a long life after all). Made me laugh about eating KFC on Christmas Day. I hope to visit Japan but not sure if we’ll make it for NYE.

    • Thank you so much! Yes, we’ll use any excuse to eat soba noodles but it’s an especially lovely tradition for new year. Hope you do get to visit. If you go in summertime, cold soba is delicious and perfect for the hot weather!

  7. What a great place to spend the new year! We are currently in Salt Lake City, Utah where the first KFC location is, and I thought about how Japan eats KFC on Christmas! Haha! All of that Japanese food looks amazing!

    • Thank you! Yes, we’d prefer the Japanese food over KFC any day! I didn’t realise that KFC originated in Salt Lake City. New year in Japan was so much fun.

  8. Ok, you had me at “Japan.” I’ve been fortunate in that my career as a professional drummer has taken me on 5 tours (so far) throughout Japan between 2017-2020. I immediately fell in love with the country, and that love only deeped with each visit thereafter. Seems corny, but I feel like it’s a bit of a second home, as I’ve spent in total over three months there. I’ve been to just about every place you mention in this post and seeing them all here warms my heart so much. As all of your food photos do – that soba!
    I’ve always been there during November and January, but I haven’t been for New Years Eve – I can only imagine how magnificent it is! I can’t wait until it’s safe again, and the next tour is booked so I can get back there. A wonderful country with some of the most wonderful and welcoming people i’ve ever met. ~Stephen

    • We are in love with Japan as well. We’ve visited eight times and would go back in an instant. As you say, it really is the most wonderful country with such delightful and welcoming people. Hope it won’t be long before you can return!

  9. I only know of the KFC tradition for Christmas Day and was intrigued to hearing more about New Year’s traditions. It’s a bit sad to hear they mostly spend the actual highlight – midnight – inside in front of the telly. I do like the tradition of going to the shrine and making a New Year’s wish by throwing the coin. The lucky boxes sounds like good fun and something I would totally take part in, too.

    Carolin | Solo Travel Story

    • Japan has some really lovely traditions. In Europe Christmas tends to be the time for families to gather, but in Japan New Year is very much the occasion for families to get together. The lucky boxes are great fun and sometimes there are real treats to be found.

  10. I particularly liked this post as I enjoyed a traditional Japanese meal last night here in my little village, settled by Japanese fishers and cannery workers (we even have a scramble intersection!) and enjoyed many of the foods you highlighted. I was interested to learn about the symbolism.

    You highlighted the Japan I am drawn to — shrines, good food, and traditions (and I would absolutely go for a lucky box. Even with the commercial closures, New Years seems like a good time to visit.

    Happy New Year

    Lyn | http://www.ramblynjazz.com

    • Thank you! And a very Happy New Year to you! How interesting about your village being settled by Japanese fishers. And great that you are able to enjoy traditional Japanese food there.

  11. I can eat my way out in Tokyo for sure and soba noodles are right up in my alley. Tokyo is definitely a wonderful choice to spend one’s holidays. There’s just too many things to do and see in the city and everything about Japan and its kawaii culture makes me wish that I was an anime character. And don’t you start mentioning Hachiko. Gosh I cried many times watching the movie. Perhaps a trip in Tokyo one day might just help me come to terms of that Hachiko memory with temple hopping and karaoke in the side 😉 #flyingbaguette

    Jan – https://flyingbaguette.com/

    • You’d love the new year soba noodles – they are delish! And poor old Hachiko – what dedication. We’re sure you would enjoy NYE in Japan – and we’re always up for karaoke!

  12. Oh what a cool experience to have! New years in Japan would be epic. I’ve only celebrated it in Europe abroad. Mmm you did make me miss the food of Japan though with all your pictures. I love the idea of random boxes for sale. We did a random box in a vending machine but never in a store. How fun!

    • NYE in Japan was loads of fun. You’re right about the food being amazing. You can get very lucky with the lucky boxes – they can have some amazing treats inside. But it’s totally random!

  13. A loyal dog, delicious noodles and a night in front of the TV? Japan just gets me! I love hearing about traditions in other places, and just the fact that it doesn’t involve a huge drunken party is so refreshing. The evening at the shrine reminds me of spending time in China around Chinese New Year and ringing in the new year at a temple. It was an awesome experience

    • You’re so right that it’s fantastic experiencing new year in another country. It sounds like you had a blast in China!

  14. I’d never thought of spending a holiday in Japan. Visiting the country has been at the top of my list for many years, but honestly this time had never been considered.
    I think I’d opt for your choice of going out to the shrine and sending the coin to get lucky… you never know what the future holds and it certainly can’t hurt 🙂

    • New Year was a very special time in Japan. Anyone is welcome at the shrines – all religions or none. You’re right, good wishes for the future never hurt. We do hope you get to Japan one day, we are sure you will love it.

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