How Japanese People Spend the New Year
In Japan, New Year’s holidays are a very special time to relax and spend quality time with family.
People celebrate in many different ways—some return to their hometowns, while others enjoy a quiet New Year at home.
In this article, I’ll introduce some common Japanese New Year traditions, as well as how my family spends the holidays.
1. Doing a Big Year-End Cleaning (Osoji)
As the year comes to an end, many Japanese families do a big cleaning called osoji.
The purpose is to clean places that are usually hard to reach and welcome the new year with a fresh and clear mind.
Since we have small children, it’s difficult to clean everything at once.
So starting in December, we clean a little bit every day.
For example, we wash curtains, clean ventilation fans, and get rid of clothes and household items we no longer need.
2. Eating Toshikoshi Soba
Many families eat toshikoshi soba on the night of December 31st.
Because soba noodles are long and thin, they are believed to symbolize a long and healthy life.
In our family, we eat dinner early (around 5 p.m.), and only the adults who stay up late eat shrimp tempura soba around 10 p.m.
Soba can cause allergies, so please be careful when giving it to young children. My older child is two years old and hasn’t tried soba yet, but I’m thinking of introducing it soon.
3. Visiting a Shrine or Temple for Hatsumode
From January 1st to January 3rd, many people visit shrines or temples for hatsumode, the first shrine visit of the year.
People pray for their family’s health, happiness, and good fortune.
At shrines, visitors put money into an offering box.
In our family, we usually offer a 5-yen coin.
This is because “five yen” (go-en) sounds the same as the word for “good relationship” or “good connection” in Japanese, making it a popular and meaningful choice.
4. Eating Osechi Ryori
During the New Year, families eat osechi ryori, traditional Japanese New Year dishes.
These foods are packed into special boxes and are meant to bring wishes for health, prosperity, and family happiness.
They are also designed to last several days so people can take a break from cooking during the holidays.
Each dish has a meaning—for example, black beans symbolize good health, and herring roe represents prosperity of future generations.
Because making osechi takes a lot of time, both our parents and we usually buy ready-made osechi.
Reservations can be made online, at supermarkets, or department stores, usually from around September until mid-December.
5. Giving Otoshidama
Otoshidama is another important New Year tradition in Japan.
Children look forward to this more than anything!
Otoshidama is money given to children by parents, grandparents, or relatives.
The money is placed in a small decorative envelope called an otoshidama bukuro.
The amount depends on the child’s age—preschool children usually receive around 1,000 yen, and the amount gradually increases as they grow older.
Since our children are still very young, we gave them small toys and picture books instead of money this year.
At this age, they don’t really understand money yet, so we treat it as a “special New Year gift.”
6. Enjoying TV, Games, and Traditional New Year Activities
During the New Year holidays, many shops are closed, and people prefer to avoid crowded places.
As a result, families often spend more time at home watching TV or playing games.
Special New Year TV programs and variety shows are very popular, and relaxing together as a family is a typical Japanese New Year scene.
After our children go to bed, my husband and I enjoy watching TV together and taking it easy.
I also enjoy playing traditional games with my relatives’ children.
Here are some popular New Year activities in Japan:
Fukuwarai
Fukuwaraiの is a traditional Japanese game played during New Year.
Players are blindfolded and place facial parts—such as eyes, a nose, and a mouth—onto a blank face.
The result is usually a very funny face, and everyone laughs together.
There is a Japanese saying, “Good fortune comes to those who laugh,” and this game reflects the wish for a happy year filled with laughter.
Kite Flying
Kite flying is a New Year activity enjoyed by both children and adults.
Flying kites under the clear winter sky is a classic New Year image in Japan.
Many families go to parks, and it’s also great exercise for children.
Karuta
Karuta is a popular indoor New Year game.
It helps children become familiar with words and pictures, making it educational as well.
Since our children can’t read yet, we play a picture-based version and enjoy it together.
Japanese New Year traditions may seem simple, but they are filled with wishes for health, happiness, and togetherness.
I hope this glimpse into how we celebrate the New Year in Japan helps you understand our culture a little better—and inspires you to slow down and enjoy meaningful time with your loved ones, too.
