6:50am<\/p>
Tokyo sunrise, 1 Jan 2027<\/p><\/div>
~3 million<\/p>
Hatsumode visitors at Meiji Jingu<\/p><\/div>
6 years<\/p>
Shibuya countdown not held<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
This guide covers 29 December 2026 to 3 January 2027<\/strong>: the six best hatsumode shrines and temples, which trains run all night, countdown events (and the ones that are not happening), bell ringing you can watch or join, first-sunrise spots, lucky bags, the Imperial Palace New Year greeting, food, etiquette and a what’s-open table. Every date is labelled Confirmed<\/strong> (published by the organiser), Expected<\/strong> (based on a fixed rule or last year) or TBA<\/strong>. Many 2026\u201327 schedules are not out yet; we say so plainly rather than guess. Last checked 17 October 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Japanese New Year (shogatsu<\/em>) is a family holiday, closer to Christmas in Europe than to a party night. The big moments are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Status: TBA \u2014 plan on no.<\/strong> The official Shibuya scramble crossing countdown event was last held for 2019\u201320. In December 2025 Nikkei<\/a> reported it was off for a sixth year in a row, citing crowd-crush risk. As of 17 October 2026, Shibuya ward has not announced its 2026\u201327 plans, and its recent moves point one way: for Halloween 2026 it is fencing off the Hachiko statue and running about 185 security guards (Shibuya Keizai Shimbun, 30 Sept 2026<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Two rules already apply. Street drinking around Shibuya Station is banned every night, 18:00\u20135:00<\/strong>, under an ordinance in force since October 2024. And last year (2025\u201326) the area around the Hachiko statue was fenced off until about 1:00 on 1 January, with convenience stores asked not to sell alcohol at night (Shibuya Keizai Shimbun<\/a>). People still turn up at the crossing at midnight. There is no stage, no screen countdown and no drinking. If you want a party, book a club or hotel event instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Japan Pro Tip:<\/strong> A good New Year’s Eve in Tokyo is a long dinner, soba before midnight, then a temple bell. We can book a New Year’s Eve dinner course with a table near Zojoji or Asakusa so you walk straight to the bell. See New Year experiences<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hatsumode is the year’s first visit to a shrine or temple. Most people go between midnight and 3 January; any visit in early January still counts. Here are the six worth your queue time, from busiest to most relaxed day trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lowdown:<\/strong> Japan’s busiest hatsumode spot, with about 3 million visitors over the New Year period (JNTO<\/a>). The shrine stays open through the night on 31 December. At peak times the wait can be over three hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where:<\/strong> 1 min from JR Harajuku Station or Meiji-jingumae Station (Chiyoda and Fukutoshin lines).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Vibe:<\/strong> A huge, orderly crowd moving through a forest. Food stalls line the approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Price:<\/strong> Free. Omamori charms and omikuji fortunes cost extra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hours (Expected):<\/strong> Last year: 31 Dec 6:40\u2013midnight, then open through to 18:30 on 1 Jan; 2\u20133 Jan 6:40\u201318:00 (2025\u201326 hours, as reported by ActivityJapan<\/a>). Normal January gates are 6:40\u201316:20 (official<\/a>). 2026\u201327 hours are not published yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Official Link:<\/strong> meijijingu.or.jp<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Japan Pro Tip:<\/strong> The worst times are 22:00 on 31 Dec to 3:00 on 1 Jan, and from 10:00 on 1\u20133 Jan. Go at 7:00 on 2 or 3 January, or any day from 4 January, and you will walk straight in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lowdown:<\/strong> Tokyo’s oldest temple, with Nakamise shopping street as the approach. At midnight the bell at Benten-yama is struck and the crowd cheers; the 108 strikes take about 40 minutes and are rung by the temple’s Hyakuhachi-kai members, so you watch rather than ring (Senso-ji<\/a>). The New Year service (shushoe<\/em>) runs 31 Dec\u20136 Jan in the main hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where:<\/strong> 5 min from Asakusa Station (Ginza, Asakusa and Tobu lines).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Vibe:<\/strong> Loud, festive and packed, with incense smoke and stalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Price:<\/strong> Free. Omamori and omikuji cost extra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hours:<\/strong> The main hall normally opens 6:30\u201317:00 from October to March. Midnight access on 31 Dec is a long-standing tradition, but the temple has not published 2026\u201327 times (Expected).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Official Link:<\/strong> senso-ji.jp<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Japan Pro Tip:<\/strong> Go after dark on 2 or 3 January. The pagoda is lit, the queue is shorter and Nakamise stalls are still trading. Then read our Asakusa guide<\/a> for dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lowdown:<\/strong> The 1,300-year-old guardian shrine of central Tokyo, next to Akihabara, so the charms come with anime tie-ins. The gates open at midnight (Time Out, 2025\u201326<\/a>; Expected for 2027). After the holiday, Tokyo office workers come in company groups to pray for business, so the first working days get busy too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where:<\/strong> 5 min from Ochanomizu Station (JR, Marunouchi line) or 7 min from Akihabara.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Vibe:<\/strong> Compact, colourful and urban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Price:<\/strong> Free to visit. Formal prayers (shoden sanpai<\/em>) are paid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Official Link:<\/strong> kandamyoujin.or.jp<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Japan Pro Tip:<\/strong> Online bookings for New Year 2027 formal prayers inside the hall are open now and close at 17:00 on Friday 27 November 2026<\/strong> (per the shrine’s booking notice; check the official site before you rely on it). It is the easiest way to see the inside of a working shrine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lowdown:<\/strong> The temple with the Tokyo Tower view, and the one place in Tokyo where you can ring a New Year’s Eve bell yourself. Ringing starts at midnight with the head priest; visitors then ring in groups of four with a kanetsuki<\/em> ticket. Last year tickets cost \u00a52,000 (with a souvenir), were limited and went on sale on 1 December at the temple office (Zojoji<\/a>). Old charms are burned at 23:00 and the New Year service begins at midnight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where:<\/strong> About 5 min from Daimon Station (Asakusa and Oedo lines) or 10 min from JR Hamamatsucho.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Vibe:<\/strong> The best countdown photo in Tokyo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Price:<\/strong> Free to visit. Bell ticket \u00a52,000 last year (2026\u201327 price TBA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hours (last year):<\/strong> Main hall open all day 31 Dec through to 17:30 on 1 Jan, then 6:00\u201317:30. The charm counter ran 22:00 on 31 Dec to 18:00 on 1 Jan. Last year the main Sanmon gate was closed to foot traffic from 19:00 on 31 Dec to 17:00 on 4 Jan for renovation, so use the side entrances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Official Link:<\/strong> zojoji.or.jp<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Japan Pro Tip:<\/strong> What about the New Year balloon release? Zojoji’s published New Year programme does not include one, so do not plan your night around it. Do plan around Tuesday 1 December 2026, the Expected first day of bell-ticket sales: tickets go fast and must be bought in person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lowdown:<\/strong> One of the Kanto region’s biggest New Year draws, on the Keikyu line between Tokyo and Yokohama. The New Year fire ritual (ganch\u014d \u014dgoma-ku<\/em>) starts at 0:00 on 1 January<\/strong> in the main hall as the bells ring (official<\/a>). The Nakamise approach is lined with traditional sweet shops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where:<\/strong> 8 min from Kawasaki-Daishi Station. Take Keikyu to Keikyu Kawasaki, then the Daishi line (change at Shinagawa from Tokyo).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Vibe:<\/strong> Smoke, drums and serious crowds. The temple says reception moves to the Fudo Hall when the main hall is full.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Price:<\/strong> Free. Goma prayers paid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Official Link:<\/strong> kawasakidaishi.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Japan Pro Tip:<\/strong> Keikyu did not run all night last year, but it added Daishi line trains on 1\u20133 January. Go on the 3rd in the afternoon and pair it with Haneda if you are flying out (see our Haneda layover guide<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lowdown:<\/strong> A huge temple complex near Narita Airport that receives over 10 million visitors a year (official<\/a>), with New Year as the peak. It is recruiting New Year staff from 31 December 2026 to 31 January 2027, which tells you how long the rush lasts. The Omotesando street is lined with eel restaurants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where:<\/strong> 10 min from JR or Keisei Narita Station (Keisei runs direct from Ueno).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Vibe:<\/strong> Grand, hilly and old-fashioned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Price:<\/strong> Free. Goma prayers paid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Official Link:<\/strong> naritasan.or.jp<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Japan Pro Tip:<\/strong> Last year Keisei ran all night between Keisei-Ueno and Keisei-Narita, and JR ran four overnight Chiba\u2013Narita trains. If you have a flight from Narita on 1\u20133 January, stop here on the way with your luggage in a station locker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Status for 2026\u201327: Expected.<\/strong> We found no operator announcement as of 17 October 2026. JR East announced last year’s in its winter extra-trains release on 17 October 2025 (18 October in 2024), so expect news any day now. This is what ran on 31 December 2025 into 1 January 2026 (JR East<\/a>; Tetsudo Channel round-up<\/a>):<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\u6771\u4eac\u306e\u304a\u6b63\u6708\uff1a\u795e\u793e\u3067\u304a\u307f\u304f\u3058\u3092\u5f15\u304f\u7740\u7269\u59ff\u306e\u53c2\u62dd\u5ba2\"](\"https:\/\/www.thejapanpro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/new-year-in-tokyo-2027-1-new-year-in-tokyo-visitors-in-kimono-drawing-omiku-683x1024.jpg\")
What happens at New Year in Tokyo?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Is there a Shibuya countdown for New Year’s Eve 2026?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Where can you count down to 2027 in Tokyo?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Tokyo](\"https:\/\/www.thejapanpro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/new-year-in-tokyo-2027-2-tokyo-new-year-s-eve-countdown-spot-tokyo-tower-il-819x1024.jpg\")
Best hatsumode shrines and temples in and near Tokyo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Meiji Jingu (Shinto shrine)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Hatsumode](\"https:\/\/www.thejapanpro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/new-year-in-tokyo-2027-3-hatsumode-tokyo-2027-crowds-visiting-meiji-jingu-s-768x1024.jpg\")
2. Senso-ji (Buddhist temple)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Senso-ji](\"https:\/\/www.thejapanpro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/new-year-in-tokyo-2027-4-senso-ji-temple-in-asakusa-with-visitors-around-th-806x1024.jpg\")
3. Kanda Myojin (Shinto shrine)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Zojoji (Buddhist temple)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Zojoji](\"https:\/\/www.thejapanpro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/new-year-in-tokyo-2027-5-zojoji-temple-in-front-of-tokyo-tower-a-new-year-s-683x1024.jpg\")
5. Kawasaki Daishi (Buddhist temple, day trip)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. Naritasan Shinshoji (Buddhist temple, day trip)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Which trains run all night on New Year’s Eve in Tokyo?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Omikuji](\"https:\/\/www.thejapanpro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/new-year-in-tokyo-2027-8-omikuji-paper-fortunes-tied-up-at-a-tokyo-shrine-p-683x1024.jpg\")