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Visiting Japan during New Year can be rewarding, as you have the opportunity to experience Japan's most important holiday, but it can also be frustrating, as many tourist attractions, shops and restaurants are closed, and getting around can be inconvenient.
Hatsumode
Hatsumode
If you are in Japan during New Year, you can join the crowds doing hatsumode, the year's first visit to a shrine or temple. Hatsumode festivities are held at practically every shrine and temple across the country.
You will be able to experience a festival atmosphere with various food stands and thousands of people making wishes and purchasing lucky charms for a fortunate new year. Most atmospheric is a visit to a temple at midnight on New Year's eve, when the temple's bell is rung repeatedly.
Some of the most popular shrines and temples, such as Tokyo's Meiji Shrine, Kyoto's Fushimi Inari Taisha, Osaka's Sumiyoshi Taisha and Kamakura's Tsuruoka Hachimangu each attract more than a million visitors. Expect to line up for more than an hour at the more popular hatsumode sites in order to reach the offering hall for a prayer.
It is a custom to dispose the old year's lucky charms during shogatsu
Emperor's New Year Greeting
On January 2, the Emperor makes several public appearances at the Tokyo Imperial Palace. It is one of only two occasions during the year, when the inner grounds of the palace are opened to the public. (The other is the Emperor's birthday on December 23.)
The Emperor and some family members are scheduled to appear on a glass protected balcony around 10:10, 11:00, 11:50, 12:40, 13:30, 14:20 and 15:20, waving and shortly speaking to the flag waving crowd.
Transportation
Domestic and international travel activity is intensive during the New Year holidays, as many people visit their families on the countryside or undertake domestic or overseas trips.
Travel activity is usually particularly intensive from December 29 to December 31 when many urbanites leave the big cities (especially Tokyo) and from January 2 to January 4 when they return home. As a result, trains, airports and highways get very crowded and traveling around the country can be inconvenient.
In 2008/2009, the travel peak is expected to take place on December 27, 28 and 30 with people leaving the big cities and on January 3 and 4 in the opposite direction.
On the other hand, there are special offers available for New Year, such as the "Shogatsu Pass" which gives you unlimited travel on all JR trains on January 1 in the service area of JR East for 12,000 Yen (must be purchased on December 31 or earlier). Furthermore, the Seishun 18 Kippu is also available.
Closures
Be aware that many tourist attractions, stores and restaurants are closed on one or more days between December 29 and January 4, limiting your activity, shopping and dining choices, especially on January 1.
Below is a list of selected tourist attractions from across Japan, indicating closure days (colored red). If an attraction closes already before December 29, the first closure date is mentioned in the field of December 29.
New Year 2007/2008 (double check before visiting)
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