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What to Do in Japan in January

January is one of the most culturally important months in Japan.
Itā€™s the start of the year, a quieter travel period after New Yearā€™s week, and the heart of winter in many regions.
Youā€™ll see strong traditions, seasonal food, snow landscapes, and fewer crowds in cities.

Hereā€™s everything happening across Japan in January šŸ‘‡

ā„ļø Where to Go in January

šŸŽŽ Main festivals & events

šŸŽŽ Main festivals & events

Jan 1ā€“3 Hatsumode New Year shrine and temple visits, nationwide

Jan 1 First sunrise viewing Hatsuhinode, coastal areas and mountains

Jan 7 Nanakusa no Sekku Seven herbs rice porridge tradition

Jan 10 Toka Ebisu business prosperity festival, Osaka and western Japan

Jan 15 Sagicho and Dondo-yaki fire festivals, nationwide

Mid January Coming of Age Day Seijin no Hi ceremonies, nationwide

Mid to late January Winter sumo tournament Hatsu Basho, Tokyo

Throughout January New Year performances and rituals at major shrines and temples

All January events in Tokyo here.
All Japan january event here.


šŸŒ… New Year Traditions Explained

Hatsuhinode First Sunrise
Hatsuhinode is the first sunrise of the year, usually watched on January 1.
People go to the coast, mountains, observation decks, or high viewpoints early in the morning.
Seeing the first sunrise is believed to bring good luck, health, and success for the year ahead.
Popular locations include seaside areas, Mount Takao near Tokyo, coastal viewpoints, and high-rise observation decks.

Hatsumode First Shrine or Temple Visit
Hatsumode is the first visit of the year to a shrine or temple, usually between January 1 and January 3.
People pray for health, safety, work success, studies, and family well-being.
The ritual usually includes washing hands, offering a coin, bowing, clapping twice at shrines, and making a silent wish.
Many people also buy omamori charms, draw omikuji fortunes, and return last yearā€™s charms to be burned.

Joya no Kane Temple Bell Ringing
Joya no Kane takes place on the night of December 31, just before midnight.
Buddhist temples ring their bell 108 times to symbolize the removal of human desires and negative feelings before the new year.
Some temples allow visitors to participate and ring the bell themselves.
The final bell is rung at midnight to welcome the new year calmly.

šŸµ What to eat this month

  • Osechi ryori New Year food sets

  • Ozoni mochi soup

  • Toshikoshi soba leftovers and regional styles

  • Buri yellowtail winter fish

  • Mikan mandarins

  • Amazake warm rice drink

  • Daikon dishes and winter vegetables

šŸ’” Travel tips

  • New Year week Jan 1ā€“3 is busy at shrines and transport hubs

  • After Jan 4 cities become much quieter

  • Many shops close temporarily during New Year holidays

  • Snow affects transport in northern and mountain regions

  • Winter daylight is short plan outdoor visits earlier

  • Onsen towns are at peak comfort in January


šŸ—ŗļø Plan Your Perfect Trip

If you want to plan your Japan trip without spending hours researching, my Japan Travel Guides & Interactive Itineraries are made for you šŸ‘‡

šŸ”— Discover my Japan Guides & Maps

Includes 1000+ curated spots, ready-made itineraries, offline maps, and travel tips. Or, if you prefer a 100% personalized experience, I can create your custom Japan trip from itinerary and trains to local stays and unique routes.

āœØ Next Monthā€¦
February brings snow festivals, plum blossoms, and quieter travel across Japan.

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If you're going to Jpaan you're probably facing :

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Marie creator behind @Tabimawari

Hi, Iā€™m Marie, the creator behind @tabimawari.

I lived in Kyoto, learned Japanese, and keep returning to explore Japan beyond the obvious.

Planning a trip to Japan usually breaks at the same point: you save a lot of places, but donā€™t know how to turn them into a realistic route. Cities are large, distances are not intuitive, and itā€™s hard to know what actually fits in one day.

This guide was created to solve that. It helps you understand how places connect, how many days make sense per area, and how to build an itinerary that flows.

With the interactive map, you can explore curated spots across Japan, follow ready-made itineraries and day trips, mix my routes with your own, and adapt everything to your pace.

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Marie creator behind @Tabimawari

Hi, Iā€™m Marie.


French islander from Reunion island, Japan lover, and travel planner behind Tabimawari.

I spent a year living in Kyoto, learning Japanese and falling in love with the culture. Since then, Iā€™ve kept going back, exploring every corner from Tokyo to the tiniest hidden towns.

I created these guides after spending months planning, testing, and fine-tuning every detail so you donā€™t have to. Inside, youā€™ll find:

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This is what I wish I had on my first trip to Japan and now itā€™s yours.

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