New Year's Eve in Japan
When is New Year's Eve in Japan?
New Year's Eve in Japan is on December 31, 2024. It falls on Tuesday.
How many days until New Year's Eve in Japan?
There are 17 Days left until New Year's Eve in Japan.
Is New Year's Eve a public holiday in Japan?
New Year’s Eve is a celebration done on the night before January 1. It is not officially declared as a national holiday in Japan. Like many other countries, Japan has its own festivities arranged on the eve of December 31 to welcome the new year. Though only January 1 is considered a national holiday, many establishments would still temporarily close down as early as December 31 to prepare for the New Year’s Eve and the rest of the holiday season.
Origin of New Year's Eve
Several of the country’s practices which are still observed at present are basically of Chinese origin. In fact, one of the greatest influences the Chinese has towards the Japanese is the New Year’s celebration. This is primarily the reason why the Japanese used to celebrate their New Year’s Eve and their New Year’s Day on the same dates as that of the Chinese. However, this was changed way back 1873 when they adopted the Gregorian Calendar, thus, marking the beginning of the country celebrating both the New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day the same dates as with the majority of the countries around the world.
New Year's Eve Traditions in Japan
It has been widely accepted all over the world that a variety of activities are done during the celebration of New Year’s Day. In Japan, some of their most enjoyable and exciting activities are actually observed the night before January 1, on New Year’s Eve.
Countown Parties and Fireworks Displays
If you are the kind of person who loves watching fireworks, the Japanese usually make some arrangements for that. Most of the countdown parties for the fireworks-viewing are held either in Odaiba or Ikebukuro. There, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of fireworks display together with your loved ones. Among other countdown parties available, the most common also include: the ones arranged by the bar and club owners, street party countdowns (wherein the most famous is the one held in Shibuya), and countdown concerts specially arranged for the public. If you are looking to celebrate the New Year’s Eve on a grander level though, you can also attend a countdown party cruise around Tokyo Bay. So basically, there are so many options to choose from if you’re celebrating the New Year’s Eve in Japan.
Oji Fox Parade
Many interesting events are held during the celebration of New Year’s Eve in the country. The ‘Oji Fox Parade’ takes place in Oji, one of Tokyo’s towns and is actually known for their connection with sacred foxes. According to the Japanese beliefs, foxes are believed to be divine messengers. So those who enjoy wearing fox masks and dressing up for the part would likely be joining this parade.
Joya no Kane
‘Joya no Kane’ is another popular event wherein all Buddhist temples around Japan would ring their bells for a total of 108 times on New Year’s Eve. The said number is said to symbolize the 108 human sins. Since Japan has been greatly influenced by the Buddhist customs, it is part of their beliefs that the ringing of the bells at midnight of the 31st of December would help clean the sins they have committed the preceding year. This is exactly the reason why many people in the country prefer to have their first shrine visits on New Year’s Eve. Although there are still quite a number of them who would have their shrine/temple visits on the first three days of January, those visits done on New Year’s Eve are considered impressive considering the beliefs they have associated with the ringing of its temple bells.
Bounenkai
Another event practiced to mark the last day of December in Japan is called ‘Bounenkai’. This event is like a Year-End party for them. Some of these parties are organized by certain group of friends or families so they could eat out and have some drinks before the year ends. However, on most occasions though, these parties are typically organized by the employers to treat their employees (to a good night’s food and drinks) as it’s their way of wishing them a happy new year.
Popular Japanese New Year's Foods
Another highlight of the New Year’s Eve celebration is the food itself. Although special dishes like Ozoni (soup dish) and Osechi (assorted food) are served on New Year’s Day, there is a specific dish that is served on New Year’s Eve. Toshikoshi Soba (buckwheat noodles) is what it’s called. According to the Japanese beliefs, since the said dish easily breaks because of its texture, once eaten, it would also break all the negativities you’ve encountered the previous year. Meaning, if you’d have your fill on this, one can have a brand-new start. Another meaning associated with this dish is longevity. Since the noodles are quite long, it is also said to symbolize long life. These are the reasons why Toshikoshi Soba can be seen served at every Japanese table on New Year’s Eve.
At Home Entertainment
Arranging some entertainments for the public to enjoy on New Year’s Eve are also observed by many countries around the globe. And definitely, Japan is not an exception. One of the most popular entertainments the Japanese look forward to every year is a TV show called ‘Kouhaku Uta Gassen’. Kouhaku (shortened name) is a musical show which is aired at midnight of December 31 on NHK. Though this custom is only recently practiced in the country, it is now one of the most-awaited entertainments for the reason that the said show features several of the country’s most famous J-pop singers.
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | December 31 | Tuesday | New Year's Eve |
| 2025 | December 31 | Wednesday | New Year's Eve |
| 2026 | December 31 | Thursday | New Year's Eve |
| 2027 | December 31 | Friday | New Year's Eve |
| 2028 | December 31 | Sunday | New Year's Eve |
| 2029 | December 31 | Monday | New Year's Eve |
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| Christmas Day | December 25, 2024 |
| New Year's Eve | December 31, 2024 |
| New Year's Day | January 01, 2025 |
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