#37 Japanese New Year
The difference between the year-end and New Year situation in Japan and the West
Where and how are you going to spend the New Year? The biggest annual event of Christmas has already been over, and you may be just waiting for the New Year. But, you will find the situation completely different from the West if you happen to be in Japan around this time of the year. You should be aware of several points if you are planning to do some sightseeing in Japan around this time. I’ll write about situations you should know about at the beginning of the year.
In Japan, most tourist attractions and shops are open even on Christmas. After Christmas, everything starts focusing on the New Year in Japan. Cleaning up our houses, writing New Year’s cards, and preparation of food served during the New Year, people are too busy with preparations for the New Year. Year-end and New Year conventions in Japan are a little bit complicated, but they may be helpful for you, and some of them will be essential if you plan sightseeing at this time of the year.
Transportation
Most JR and private railways in the Tokyo metropolitan area operate on holiday timetables from the 30th of December to the 3rd of January. Of course, the frequency of services is less than the normal time at this period. In Tokyo metropolitan area, major rail services operate through the night until the morning on New Year's Day. This service is because of the New Year’s first shrine/temple visit. People go to the shrine or the temple before the New Year arrives and pray for the New Year.
Those who go to see the first sunrise of the year, be prepared for the congestion on the road. Japanese has an obsession with watching the first sunrise on New Year’s Day. Those who want to see the sun rising from the horizon flock to the eastern coasts of Chiba and Ibaraki. I have been searching for a viewpoint on the west edge of the Kanto Plain, and I can see the sun coming out of skyscrapers in central Tokyo. These places may be another choice to see.
Taxi and bus services are limited due to the number of available drivers. The best choice is to choose rail services. If you have your car, there is no congestion in central Tokyo, particularly on New Year’s day.
If you are travelling to local areas from Tokyo at the end of the year to the beginning of the year, please keep in your mind that Japanese people start moving all at once. Outbound congestion prediction is on the 29th and 30th of December, and inbound is on the 2nd and 3rd of January. When you plan to travel, please avoid this time.
Soba noodles are eaten on New Year's Eve
There are various theories regarding how New Year's Eve soba started, but the reasons seem to be that it is easy tasty and good luck. It started around the middle of the Edo period. There are various theories, such as the belief that soba grows long and thin, and that it extends one's life and family fortune, or that soba is easy to cut, so it is a way of cutting off the year's hardships and bad luck and welcoming the New Year with a clean slate. Around 60 % of Japanese people eat soba on New Years’ Eve. There are lots of variations of soba when Japanese people eat on New Years’ Eve. You should go to the soba restaurant early if you would like to experience it on the 31st of December. Soba restaurants get very busy.
First shrines/temples visit of New Year
When you finish the year-end cleaning and eating soba noodles, you are ready for New Year. After the countdown, the unmissable first shrine/temple visit of the New Year starts. Many people leave home before midnight and finish the first visit of the New Year.
Personally, my routine is finishing soba earlier and listening to the temple bell rung 108 times on New Year's Eve. Then I sleep a couple of hours and get up around 4 in the morning to get ready for the first sunrise.
First shopping of New Year
Please be careful if you go for the first shopping of the New Year. Wherever you go on New Years’ Day, most shops including department stores are closed. The only shops you can get food and drink are convenience stores.
And nearly all the tourist attractions are also closed. You have no place to go and even if you visit famous shrines and temples you will be disappointed by lots of people. On the 2nd of January, all the shops start Hatsuuri=First sales of the year. You'll see lots of big bags which are called Fukubukuro=lucky dip-bag. You don’t know what’s inside until you open the bag, but you get lots more value than you pay. But you may find something you don't need. In a way, I don’t think it is a good value.
Back to the normal calendar
On the 4th of January, it is the day for resuming work after the New Year's vacation. Things come back to normal, and you are ready to go back on track. The followings are the summary.
Some JR and private railways in the Tokyo area will operate all night, although the number of trains will be reduced towards the morning of New Year's Day.
Most shops are closed on New Year’s Day and a lot of shops are open for New Year’s sale after the second of January.
It is a good experience to eat soba on New Year’s Eve. But soba restaurants are very crowded.
Very cold air is likely to move southwards from the 28 December to the 4th of the new year according to the MET office. Be aware of the impact on transport in northern Japan. The spread of new coronas and influenza continues.
Many thanks for subscribing to my newsletter this year. Thanks to your support, I could come this far. Some of the articles may lack information, but please stay with me. I will try to improve and provide more useful information.
Please stay safe and wish you all a happy New Year!
谷川さん、よいお年を。