{"id":26879,"date":"2025-12-31T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-31T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/?p=26879"},"modified":"2026-01-21T17:43:34","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T08:43:34","slug":"hatsumode-new-year-in-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/hatsumode-new-year-in-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"Hatsumo\u0304de, the best way to celebrate New Year in Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Celebrating the <\/span>new year in Japan<\/span><\/a> is a fantastic experience. Unlike many Western countries you traditionally don\u2019t shoot fireworks during New Year (except maybe at Disneyland).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather, it is customary to place a <\/span>shimekazari<\/span><\/i> (\u3057\u3081\u98fe\u308a) or <\/span>kadomatsu<\/span><\/i> (\u9580\u677e) above or by the door entrance to welcome the shinto\u0304 <\/span>kami<\/span><\/i>, eat <\/span>osechiryo\u0304ri (\u304a\u7bc0\u6599\u7406)<\/a>, and maybe most important of all, make the first temple visit of the year in a tradition called <\/span>hatsumo\u0304de<\/span><\/i> (\u521d\u8a63). <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article we will delve deeper into what hatsumo\u0304de is and how to celebrate it<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is hatsumo\u0304de? Why is it important?<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hatsumo\u0304de (\u521d\u8a63, literally: first visit) is the tradition where you make the first visit of the year at a shinto\u0304 shrine or temple<\/strong>. The purpose of hatsumo\u0304de is to show appreciation for the past year and pray for fortune for the coming year. Although any first visit during the next year will be your hatsumo\u0304de, it is recommended to visit the temples or shrines on December 31 during midnight, as most activities take place then.

Hatsumo\u0304de has a long history dating all the way back to the Heian period (794-1185) and is therefore one of Japan’s most cherished and important traditions. During the Edo period (1603-1868) it was common to visit a temple or shrine that was in the favorable direction \u2014 called \u201ceho\u0304\u201d (\u6075\u65b9) \u2014 of the year, according to the Chinese zodiac system. However, this custom changed, and with modern transportation you can visit any temple or shrine you wish.

It is worth noting that especially the popular temples and shrines tend to get really crowded, so it is worth coming a little bit early so you don\u2019t miss out on anything. It can also be really cold during the night so bringing warm clothes and a couple of <\/span>kairo <\/span><\/i>(\u30ab\u30a4\u30ed, pocket heater) from the nearest convenience store could be a lifesaver.

Also, don\u2019t worry too much about trains if you are out at midnight, all JR and most other train companies extend their services to account for people going on hatsumo\u0304de<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What to do during hatsumo\u0304de?<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Visiting a temple or shrine during New Year is a totally unique experience. There are large crowds gathered and you will find many food stalls that serve delicacies such as <\/span>yakisoba<\/span><\/i> (\u713c\u304d\u305d\u3070), <\/span>ringo-ame<\/span><\/i> (\u308a\u3093\u3054\u98f4), <\/span>amazake<\/span><\/i> (\u7518\u9152), and much more. Different temples celebrate hatsumo\u0304de differently; for example, some may provide a <\/span>taiko <\/span><\/i>(\u592a\u9f13, Japanese drums) performance, while others ring in the new year by striking a large bell 108 times.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some typical things to do during hatsumo\u0304de<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ring in the new year in Japan with a tradition called Joya no Kane<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One really memorable thing you can do during hatsumo\u0304de is attending a performance called <\/span>joya no kane<\/span><\/i> (\u9664\u591c\u306e\u9418). When the clock hits midnight, a temple priest will strike the temple bell called <\/span>bonsho\u0304<\/span><\/i> (\u68b5\u9418) a total of 108 times. The historical meaning of striking the bell is to repel demons from the north who were responsible for war and natural disasters. The tradition has been performed in Zen Buddhism ever since the Kamakura period (1185-1333), although why the bell is struck exactly 108 times is debated. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not all temples offer this show, so make sure to do your research if you want to experience it<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make a prayer for the new year<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another common practice is to pay homage at a shrine or temple (called <\/span>sanp<\/span>a<\/span><\/em><\/i>i <\/em>\u53c2\u62dd) and make a prayer for the new year. How you perform this prayer depends on if you are visiting a Buddhist temple or a Shinto\u0304 shrine. See our guide here<\/a> on how to properly perform a sanpai in Shinto\u0304 fashion!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Draw omikuji<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another common practice is drawing <\/span>omikuji<\/span><\/i> (\u304a\u307f\u304f\u3058). An omikuji<\/a> is a randomly drawn fortune telling paper slip which tells you the fortune for the coming year. Omikuji can come in all kinds of forms. There are some with a cute animal you get to keep as a decoration, there are others where you pull a stick and get a number which decides the outcome, and so on.

The omikuji drawn during hatsumo\u0304de is arguably the most important one, as it decides your fortune for the whole coming year. There are typically seven different categories of luck ranging from <\/span>daikichi<\/span><\/i> (\u5927\u5409, great luck) to <\/span>daikyo\u0304<\/span><\/i> (\u5927\u51f6, very bad luck). If you get an undesirable result, it is common to tie the slip on special racks with strings or onto a tree at the temple grounds.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Protect your fortune with lucky charms<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another common practice during hatsumo\u0304de is to buy good luck charms. There are a couple of different ones that are popular to buy during New Year in Japan:

– <\/span>Omamori<\/span><\/i> (\u304a\u5b88\u308a), a small bag made from cloth. They come in various colors and different omamori ward against different things, such as illness, traffic accidents, bad grades, and much else. It\u2019s customary to return it once a year has passed.

– <\/span>Ofuda <\/span><\/i>(\u304a\u672d), a paper talisman which resembles the spirits and deities (<\/span>kami<\/span><\/i>) at the shrine. You are supposed to bring the ofuda<\/span> to the household altar or shrine (which can be found in traditional Japanese homes), and doing so means that you welcome the enshrined kami to your household.

– <\/span>Hamaya <\/span><\/i>(\u7834\u9b54\u77e2) is an amulet shaped like an arrow and is said to pierce evil spirits. It\u2019s common to place it at the house altar together with the ofuda. You also return this after a year has passed.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Some good temples\/shrines to visit for hatsumo\u0304de<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that we have a picture of what hatsumo\u0304de is, the obvious question remains: what shrines and temples are recommended to visit for hatsumo\u0304de? All temples and shrines offer slightly different activities and experiences so it is best to check their homepages for more information.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below are some recommendations based on personal experiences.

<\/span>Meiji Jingu\u0304 (\u660e\u6cbb\u795e\u5bae)
<\/b>Meiji Jingu is a shrine in close proximity to Shibuya and one of the most popular spots to visit during hatsumo\u0304de. It is crowded, but the atmosphere is fantastic.

<\/span>Narita-san Shin Sho\u0304ji (\u6210\u7530\u5c71\u65b0\u52dd\u5bfa)
<\/b>Just an hour away from Tokyo, Narita-san Shin Sho\u0304ji is a huge and impressive Buddhist temple with a beautiful garden located on its temple grounds.<\/span>

Fushimi Inari Taisha (\u4f0f\u898b\u7a32\u8377\u5927\u793e)
<\/b>If you are staying in the Kansai area near Kyoto<\/a> or <\/span>Osaka<\/span><\/a>, it is recommended to visit Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto. The shrine is overlooked by a mountain and is famous for the hundreds of <\/span>torii<\/span><\/i> (\u9ce5\u5c45) gates that lead up to and around the mountain.<\/span>

Tsuru ga Oka Hachi Mangu\u0304 (\u9db4\u5ca1\u516b\u5e61\u5bae)<\/b>
If you are staying in <\/span>Yokohama<\/span><\/a>, it is highly recommended to pay a visit to Tsuru ga Oka Hachi Mangu\u0304. The shrine is situated on the mountainside overlooking the city of Kamakura and is walking distance from Kamakura JR Station, which is less than an hour away from Yokohama.

<\/span>Hasedera (\u9577\u8c37\u5bfa)
<\/b>Hasedera is also located in Kamakura and isn\u2019t as large as the other temples. But, it is famous for performing the Joya no Kane ceremony ringing in New Year by striking the temple bell 108 times. The temple grounds are also illuminated and it\u2019s a really atmospheric and pretty place to be at.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are interested in more Japanese culture or life in Japan, follow our blog<\/a>! <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Celebrating the new year in Japan is a fantastic experience. Unlike many Western countries you traditionally don\u2019t shoot fireworks during New Year (except maybe at Disneyland).\u00a0 Rather, it is customary to place a shimekazari (\u3057\u3081\u98fe\u308a) or kadomatsu (\u9580\u677e) above or by the door entrance to welcome the shinto\u0304 kami, eat osechiryo\u0304ri (\u304a\u7bc0\u6599\u7406), and maybe most […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":25669,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[400],"tags":[693,683],"class_list":["post-26879","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-japanese-culture","tag-culture","tag-tradition"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26879","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26879"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26879\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":207161,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26879\/revisions\/207161"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25669"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26879"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26879"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26879"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}