Japan is known for its elaborate celebrations in January, which also marks the start of the new year. During the first few weeks of the year, the country is brimming with activity: Locals go home and celebrate with family while visitors can experience a plethora of New Year’s customs, from Japanese festivals to parades and firework displays. If you plan to visit Japan in January, here are some must-experience traditions that will complete your itinerary.
1st January: Japanese New Year
Image credit: Ujido
In many parts of the world, the New Year bears major significance in marking the start of the Gregorian calendar, and it has become an important holiday where people often spend time with family. Japanese New Year runs during the first three days of the year (January 1 to 3), and most businesses and department stores close during this period.
On New Year’s Eve, locals spend time with family to enjoy festivities both inside and outside of the home. Homes are decorated with traditional ornaments, such as bamboo trees , “kadomatsu,” and sacred rope on the front door. It’s also common practice to declutter and clean homes for the year ahead. The food eaten typically consists of various Osechi Ryori (an assortment of New Year’s dishes and other ingredients), which are served in multi-layered bento boxes to bring in wealth and happiness. Meanwhile, children are expected to receive Otoshidama from older family members. These are New Year’s money in beautifully decorated envelopes reminiscent of red envelopes typically distributed during the Lunar New Year across other parts of East Asia.
Even as a tourist, the New Year’s celebrations can be felt all over the country. People congregate at designated sites with an excellent view of the horizon to catch the Hatsuhinode, the first sunrise of the year, believing that catching a glimpse of the morning sun will help assure good fortune and happiness in the following year. Some popular sights include the Tokyo Skytree and Tokyo Tower or more scenic destinations like Lake Kawaguchiko and Mount Tsukuba.
We also highly recommend participating in Hatsumode (the first shrine visit of the year) by visiting a local shrine anywhere in the country. While you’re there, pick up an Omamori for good luck. After New Year’s Day, most stores will re-open and offer Fukubukuro, lucky blind bags full of random merchandise sold at heavily discounted prices.
3rd January: Ball-Catching Festival
Image credit: Visit Fukuoka
The Tamaseseri, also known as the Ball-Catching Festival, is a traditional event held on January 3 at Fukuaka’s Hakozakigu Shrine. It directly proceeds the New Year’s celebrations, and is one of three major festivals of the Kyushu region, which has been held for over 500 years. Tamasaseri is an important fragment of Japanese history, as it first originated during the Muromachi era and has continuously been celebrated in Fukuoka as part of Japanese culture to pray for abundant harvest and good catch for the year.
The festival starts in the afternoon with an opening ceremony that onlookers can enjoy. Then, a ball cleansing ritual will commence, where two wooden balls symbolizing “Yin” and “Yang” are purified before being brought to the competition site nearby.
The competition is ritually fought between two teams: the land team (consisting of farmers) and the sea team (consisting of fishermen). Despite the cold Japan weather, competitors are clad in loincloths and sprayed with water. They would hoist each other up to try and catch a wooden ball from the opposing team and march toward the tower gate of the shrine. If the land team wins, it’s said that they will be blessed with abundant harvest for the year. Meanwhile, if the sea team wins, it’s said that they will catch plenty of fish in the year. It’s an incredible festival where festive energy and traditional culture rings throughout the winter.
Image credit: Japan Location Database
If you’re interested in visiting other famous Japanese shrines to enjoy events throughout the year, you may want to pay attention to some of the Hachiman shrines in the country. The Tamaseseri venue, Hakozaki Shrine, together with Iwashimizu Shrine in Kyoto and Usa Shrine in Oita, are the three famous Hachiman shrines in Japan.
These major landmarks are responsible for various events, including the following:
- Iwashimizu-sai by the Iwashimizu Shrine in September
- Goshinkosai (Great Summer Festival) by the Usa Shrine in July and August
- Chushusai (Mid-Autumn Festival) by the Usa Shrine in September
- Nagoshi Festival by the Hakozaki and Usa Shrines in July
6th January: Dezome-Shiki Parade
Image credit: Ishikawa Travel
One of the first major events you can catch is the Dezome-Shiki Parade by the Tokyo Metropolitan Fire Department on January 6. The yearly event is usually held at the Tokyo Big Sight in Koto City. Its origins trace back to the Edo era (1603-1868), when many large fires ravaged Edo (modern-day Tokyo), destroying most of the area. Following a major fire in 1657, the Jobikeshi fire brigade was established to safeguard the city and vital places such as Edo Castle, with fire corps stationed full-time at four locations.
The flashy show features over 100 Tokyo Metropolitan Fire Department vehicles, including fire trucks and helicopters, showcasing high-tech firefighting equipment and emergency drills. A highlight of the event is the display of Cirque du Soleil-style death-defying ladder stunts, which bears significance in Japanese history. These stunts pay homage to the Edo-era firefighters who had to swiftly and skillfully climb onto rooftops to prevent fires from spreading. As such, the parade serves as a crucial reminder to citizens about fire safety and the importance of being vigilant against fire hazards.
If you plan to attend Tokyo’s Dezome-Shiki Parade, keep in mind that you have to apply for an outdoor viewing seat to enjoy the incredible stunts at the viewing site. Applications are always held at the Tokyo Fire Department’s official website from mid-December. Due to the volume of interested participants, tickets are granted on a lottery basis. However, anyone can enjoy the street parade, so it’s worth stopping by early to wave at the amazing fire personnel who keep Tokyo’s streets safe. In addition, Dezome-Shiki Parades are held in other parts of the country from early to late January, such as Hanamatsu City’s event on January 11.
7th January: Usokae Festival
Image credit: Japanistry
A Japan festival you can’t miss is the Usokae Festival held on January 7 after the New Year holidays. It’s held at the Iizaka Onsen Town in Fukushima City, which is just an hour and a half by shinkansen from Tokyo. During the event, visitors can purchase tiny carvings of bullfinches. These birds are called “uso” in Japanese—the same pronunciation as the Japanese word for “lie.” They are regarded as messengers of Sugawara Michizane, or Tenjin, the shrine’s god. Because Sugawara Michizane was known for his sincerity and honesty, trading these wooden carvings represents exchanging your lies for the deity’s blessings.
On the same note, the event name, “Usokae” translates to “changing lies.” The bird carving is believed to help reverse “lies” that visitors don’t want to happen in their lives. For instance, if you think “I’ll be afflicted by natural disasters this year,” the bird will serve as a good luck charm to reverse the lie, helping you stay safe throughout the year. The ritual begins with people gathering around a vast wooden bullfinch in the courtyard. They then form a circle around the bullfinch, singing “kaemasho kaemasho” and transferring the little sculptures from person to person, and it moves from one hand to another among the people.
Anyone can attend the ceremony with a nominal payment/donation. From 5 PM, you can go to one of the designated counters to pay for your gift and collect your carved uso. This unique local festivity is a must-experience if you happen to be in Fukushima Prefecture, and the hard-carved bullfinches make very charming gifts for friends and family. Additionally, the Onisube Fire Festival happens directly after on the same night—the perfect way to celebrate the ski season.
If you can’t make it to Fukushima on January 7, similar Usokae Festivals are held in other parts of Japan:
- Kameido Tenjin Shrine, Koto City, Tokyo – January 24-25
- Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, Fukuoka Prefecture – January 24-25
9th January to 11th January: Toka Ebisu Festival
Image credit: Sekai Hotel
Following the festivities of New Year’s Day, crowds flock to shrines to pray for prosperity for the year ahead. One major event that focuses on praying for wealth and good fortune is the Toka Ebisu Festival, which is typically held across multiple days in early January.
The highly anticipated occasion features a procession of women in colorful kimonos carried in palanquins (portable shrines) through the main streets. The seven lucky gods of fortune are the highlight of the event, spread across three main days: Yoi Ebisu on the 9th, Hon Ebisu on the 10th, and Nokori Fuku on the 11th. Over a million worshippers visit the shrine to pray for economic success. Lucky shrine maidens called Fukumusume are chosen through a cutthroat selection process. You’ll find them lining the perimeter of the shrine, and you can approach one to draw a fortune slip to test your luck for the year. The full-blown festival is also filled with traditional food stalls, music, souvenir shops, and other wonderful local festivities to say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new one ahead.
The Toka Ebisu Festival is the first major festival in Japan. It generally runs from January 9 to 11, but some locations also open doors on the 8th and 12th. While largely attributed to the festival in Kyoto, Toka Ebisu is celebrated in multiple shrines across the country. Consider attending at any of the locations below:
- Kyoto Ebisu Shrine (Kyoto)
- Imamiya Ebisu Shrine (Osaka)
- Nishinomiya Shrine (Hyogo)
- Toka Ebisu Shrine (Fukuoka)
2nd Monday of January: Coming of Age Day
Image credit: Web Japan
In Japan, children are considered adults on their 20th birthday. The milestone is celebrated on an important day called Seijin no Hi (Coming of Age Day), which is observed annually on the second Monday of January. The tradition cumulatively commemorates everyone who has turned 20 from April 2 of the previous year to April 1 of the current year, welcoming them as new members of society.
Seijin no Hi is deeply rooted in Japanese culture, dating back to the 700s, but the more contemporary version started in the 1600s. Boys would participate in Genpuku rites, while ladies would participate in Mogi ceremonies. They would dress in adult robes and have their hair chopped. After World War II, the holiday took on a new meaning when Warabi, near Tokyo, sponsored a youth event to cheer people up. Seijin no Hi was officially declared a national holiday in 1948.
If you visit Japan during this period, you’ll find celebrants dressed in formal attire (particularly kimonos called “furisode” for women, usually lined with fur to accommodate the coldest month) and receive gifts from loved ones. They would then attend ceremonies that take place across municipal wards, city halls, and other official venues, which can be accessed from an invitation mailed to their homes in advance by the local government. Meanwhile, government officials and guest speakers would encourage the new adults amid their newfound responsibilities, and artists are sometimes invited for music performances. It’s also customary to visit shrines to pray for the next stage in their lives.
Unlike New Year’s, which is usually memorialized with family, the Coming of Age Day is a chance for people to meet up and catch up with old friends, so it’s usually enjoyed with fellow celebrants.
17th January: Miyoshi Bondensai Festival
Image credit: JNTO
The Miyoshi Bondensai Festival is a yearly tradition that happens on January 17 at the Miyoshi Shrine in Akita City (one bus ride from Akita Station). It’s located quite far from Tokyo and Osaka, but it’s worth timing your trip to experience the start-of-year festivities. The festivity centers around Miyoshi Reijin, also known as the God of Power, one of the primary deities of the Mt. Taihei Miyoshi Shrine. He supposedly enjoys a good fight, which is why the festival’s moniker is “Bonden Fight”.
During the Miyoshi Bondensai Festival, locals would band together and carry “Bonden,” 3.5-meter-long sacred wands made of colorful fabric, and are believed to be markers for the gods descending onto the world. While seemingly a peaceful event at first glance, it gets quite rowdy quickly due to “Bonden Fighting,” which happens as participants scuffle to be the first to reach the shrine with their Bonden. Meanwhile, attendees will try to touch one of the triangular amulets hanging from Bonden, which are believed to be brimming with divine power that provides good luck and strength. Once participants reach the sacred shrine, they are neatly placed around designated sites and used to pray for plentiful crops and good health for their loved ones.
While Akita City is often visited for flower festivals and cherry blossoms in the Spring, the Miyoshi Bondensai Festival is one of many reasons to enjoy the area before the warm weather arrives. In January, the city is filled with incredible snowscapes and onsen and is a great alternative winter destination if you want to avoid the flurry of crowds that flock to Hokkaido and Sapporo. It’s certainly worth taking the flight to this beautiful winter wonderland, which also sees a lot of snow! For more information on the Miyoshi Bondensai Festival and other Akita destinations, visit the Akita City Tourist Information Center’s official website.
Second Sunday of January: Yanagi-no-Okaji & Toshi-ya
Image credit: Discover Kyoto
Kyoto’s Sanjusangendo temple’s most significant celebration, the Yanagi-no-Okaji, or Rite of the Willow, is held on the second Sunday of January every year. The Buddhist ceremony is led by monks, where holy water blessed by Kannon is poured onto worshippers using a willow branch. Willows are regarded as sacred trees so this ritual is believed to benefit those who hope to remove various illnesses, especially headaches.
The Yanagi-no-Okaji’s roots trace back to the Heian period when the ritual was brought from India to Japan. In addition to the blessing rites, the temple also offers special amulets and goshuin (temple stamps for collectors) that are only obtainable on this special day. If you’re a goshuin collector, we strongly recommend partaking in the once-a-year activity!
Image credit: Nalata Nalata
On the same day, the Toshi-ya, a grand Japanese archery contest, is held in the same day on the west courtyard of the 120-meter-long Sanjusangendo temple, which is also the world’s longest wooden structure. The competition dates back to 1606 when a samurai called Asaoka Heibei was claimed to have fired 100 arrows in rapid succession along the strip, hitting 51 targets, inspiring the establishment of the archery competition.
The celebration grew in popularity during the Edo period and has continued to draw in crowds of both competitors and supporters. If you’re interested in experiencing both events on the same day, keep in mind that while the Yanagi-no-Okaji offers free admissions, you may have to pay for tickets to watch the Toshi-ya. Visit the temple’s official website for the official schedules and ticketing process.
4th Saturday of January: Wakakusa Yamayaki
Image credit: Japan Italy Bridge
In the evening twilight, a trumpet rings across Nara, signaling a monumental time when Mt. Wakakusa (Wakakusayama) is set ablaze. Every year on the fourth Saturday of January, the Wakakusa Yamayaki Festival takes place at the base Mt. Wakakusa in Nara, which is often visited for their famous deer. Yamayaki literally translates to “mountain burning,” a tradition that came about from unclear roots. Some believe that it began with a conflict between two of Nara’s great temples, the Todai-ji, and Kofuku-ji, which had caused the mountain to burn. Regardless, it has since become an important event that locals and visitors look forward to every year.
You don’t have to wait long to enjoy the occasion. The Wakakusa Yamayaki is a full-day event where you can enjoy festivities from noon, including Japanese food stalls and activities reminiscent of summer festivals amid the cold winter. Events include “sembei,” a competition where giant rice crackers (usually sold in Nara to feed deer) are thrown around in the afternoon. From 5 PM onwards, the procession officially begins. People will depart from Kasuga Taisha and head toward the mountain, heading to Mizuya Shrine to light the torches. From there, they will proceed to the base of Mt. Wakakusa, where they will begin lighting a giant bonfire. A fireworks display is showcased before the forest is set ablaze, burning off the dead winter grass.
Due to the popularity of the event, the site may be crowded and difficult to attend. But because of the size of Mt. Wakakusa, it’s possible to view it from any vantage point in Nara. In fact, the conflagration can be seen for kilometers, but the sights are most spectacular in Nara, which oversees the blaze. It’s the perfect way to end your trip to Japan and welcome the new year in full spirits.
9th January: Maebashi Hatsuichi Festival
Image credit: Visit Gunma
The Maebashi Hatsuichi Festival is a lively, one-of-a-kind event held annually in Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture, which is only an hour away from Tokyo by shinkansen. Daruma is a representation of Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism. It takes the form of a round doll with a distinct tengu-like appearance and can be pushed back and forth without falling down. Its resilience has turned it into a popular lucky charm, often displayed in homes for safety and good health.
A common tradition is for people to purchase a Daruma, make a wish, and paint its left eye black (your right side). When the wish has been granted, they would then paint the other eye black, representing gratitude for the fulfilled wish. At the beginning of every year, Daruma with both eyes painted is sent to the Maebashi Hatsuichi Festival, where they are burned as a final form of gratitude, returning them to the heavens.
Maebashi City’s annual festival runs for the whole day on January 9. It’s best to arrive early as Daruma is burned in a large bonfire at exactly 10 AM. After, locals will begin a procession where a portable shrine (mikoshi) that carries a tengu is paraded across the road, removing bad omens and signaling the start of the new year. While the main events happen in the day, the festivities go on until about 9 PM. An entire shopping street and main road are closed down to make space for traditional food stalls, mini-games, and shops where you can purchase all sorts of souvenirs, including Daruma.
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