Tips for Winter Travel and New Year’s in Japan

If you’re traveling in Japan during December/January here’s some helpful info.

– [Visiting Japan in Winter: What to Wear and Pack](https://matcha-jp.com/en/1367)
– [6 Tips to Survive Winter in Japan](https://jw-webmagazine.com/tips-survive-winter-japan/)

From December through mid-February, there will be heaps of winter illuminations all throughout Japan. Most are free and a fun thing to do in the evening before/after dinner when most other sites are closed. Here’s links to some of the main listings *but* there’s lots more out there too. Just Google City Name + illuminations to see what might be happening in the area you are visiting.

– [2022-23 Winter Illuminations in Japan](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2304.html)
– ETA: [Japan Illumination Map 2022-23](https://jw-webmagazine.com/japan-illumination-map-guide-to-winter-illuminations-2017-2018-92d8f764a574/)
– [Top 10 Winter Illuminations in Japan](https://travel.gaijinpot.com/japan-sightseeing-essentials/top-winter-illuminations-in-japan/)
– [26 Illuminations in Tokyo](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/tokyo-illuminations)
– [Tokyo Winter Illumination Guide](https://jw-webmagazine.com/tokyo-winter-illumination-guide-2017-2018-13d71df4af67/)
– [Best Winter Illuminations in Yokohama](https://jw-webmagazine.com/best-winter-illuminations-in-yokohama/)
– [Winter Illumination at Matsumoto Castle in Nagano](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/news/this-winter-illumination-at-matsumoto-castle-in-nagano-is-spectacular-021722)
– [Best Winter Illumination Spots in Osaka](https://jw-webmagazine.com/best-winter-illumination-spots-in-osaka-d19f1d509a4e/)
– [12 Best Winter Illuminations in Kansai](https://blog.japanwondertravel.com/winter-illuminations-in-kansai-39731)
– [Famous Winter Illuminations in Tohoku and Hokkaido](https://www.japan.travel/en/my/solo-japan/fun-times-winter-night-famous-illuminations-hokkaido-and-tohoku-/)
– [5 of the Best Winter Illuminations in Chubu](https://centrip-japan.com/th/node/983)
– [Winter Illuminations in Kyushu](https://www.japan.travel/en/sg/story/still-time-winter-illuminations-kyushu-january-march/)

Christmas Day/week in Japan is not a holiday and is a normal work week. Christmas weekend is a traditional romantic date night so it may be hard to get reservations for dinner and you’ll see lots of couples at the illuminations.

– [What’s Christmas like in Japan? 6 Ways to Celebrate](https://livejapan.com/en/article-a0000770/)
– [How Does Japan Celebrate Christmas](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/tokyo-q-a-how-does-japan-celebrate-christmas)
– [10 Ways to Celebrate Christmas in Tokyo](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/how-to-celebrate-christmas-in-tokyo)
– [Christmas Events in Tokyo 2022](https://jw-webmagazine.com/best-christmas-events-in-tokyo-2018-ba959deca015/)

January into February is also the time for winter festivals; particularly in Nagano, Tohoku, and Hokkaido. Some will be held again for the first time in 3 years and some, like the Nozawa Fire Festival, may only be open to people staying at hotels/inns within that city to limits crowds.

– [Japan’s Best Winter Festivals and How to Get There From Tokyo](https://japancheapo.com/entertainment/japan-winter-festivals/)
– [7 Snow Festivals in Japan](https://jw-webmagazine.com/7-best-snow-festivals-in-japan-73c106adae3c-73c106adae3c/)
– [10 Winter Snow and Ice Festivals in Japan](https://travel.gaijinpot.com/japan-sightseeing-essentials/top-10-winter-snow-and-ice-festivals-in-japan/)
– [Trip Report: Aizuwakamatsu Painted Candle Festival and Samurai History](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/metuf4/samurai_history_in_aizuwakamatsu_in_fukushima/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
– [Tokyo Winter Guide](https://tokyocheapo.com/living/tokyo-winter-guide/)
– [Osaka Winter Trips](https://livejapan.com/en/in-kansai/in-pref-kyoto/in-kyoto-suburbs/article-a2000295/)

New Year’s Day/week is like Christmas week in the US. Many things will be closed part or all of that week (especially on New Year’s Day) and most people in Japan have extended time off and travel home or take vacations with family. Amusement parks (like Disney and USJ) will be extra crowded New Year’s week. Keep in mind shrines will be very busy from Jan 1 – 3 as most people in Japan try to do Hatsumode (first shrine visit) of the new year. If you’re not a fan of crowds, maybe avoid these but it’s usually a festive environment with food stalls and families all together. On the 2nd, many shops will open again and be selling lucky bags. If traveling on the Shinkansen over this week, be sure to get seat reservations ASAP.

– [Traveling in Japan Over New Years (see closures at end of this page)](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2276.html)
– [Japanese New Year’s 2023: Traditions and Countdowns](https://tokyocheapo.com/entertainment/event-posts/japanese-new-year-tokyo/)
– [How to Spend New Year’s Holiday in Japan](https://jw-webmagazine.com/how-to-spend-new-years-like-japanese-355af2519eee/)
– [Shibuya Cancels New Year’s Eve 2022/23](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/news/shibuya-cancels-new-years-eve-countdown-event-for-2022/2023-101822)
– [Alternative Guide to Hatsumode in Tokyo](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/2019/12/an-alternative-guide-to-japanese-hatsumode/)
– [Hatsumode in Osaka](https://livejapan.com/en/in-kansai/in-pref-osaka/in-osaka-suburbs/article-a2000592/)
– [Lucky Bags in Japan](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/2020/12/fukubukuro-lucky-bag-surprise-2020-2021/)
– [Where to Watch First Sunrise of 2023 in Tokyo](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/watch-the-first-sunrise-in-tokyo)
– [Where in Japan to Catch the First Sunrise](https://livejapan.com/en/article-a0002842/)

Remember, this is not an exhaustive list so consult Google-sensei for more info on happenings in the cities you plan to visit.