New Year (shogatsu) is Japan’s biggest holiday. From roughly December 29 to January 3, banks, post offices, government offices, many museums and family-run restaurants close. Trains, convenience stores, hotels, chain restaurants, shrines and temples stay open. For New Year in Tokyo 2027, January 1 falls on a Friday, so the quiet period runs into the weekend of January 2–3, and most normal business resumes on Monday, January 4. This guide explains what’s open and what’s closed, how to handle cash, trains on New Year’s Eve, the January 2 Imperial Palace greeting, and what to eat.
Updated October 2026 — reviewed by Sunny Pham Sensei (Lệ Nhật Sensei), Japan National Acupuncture License No. 196186 (鍼師) / 195591 (灸師). Written by the Fuji Wellness team, based locally in Edogawa City, east Tokyo.
What’s open and closed over New Year 2026–27?
| Type | Typical pattern (Dec 29–Jan 3) | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Convenience stores (konbini) | Open 24 hours, every day | Your backup for food, drinks, ATMs and basics |
| Trains and subways | Running, mostly on weekend/holiday timetables | JR East has run extra late-night trains on New Year’s Eve in recent years |
| Shrines and temples | Open, often all night on Dec 31 | Very crowded Jan 1–3 |
| Hotels | Open | Prices are high and rooms book out early |
| Chain restaurants and fast food | Mostly open, sometimes with shorter hours | Family-run places often close for several days |
| Department stores | Usually closed Jan 1. New Year sales start Jan 2 or Jan 3 | Shorter hours on Dec 31 |
| Shopping malls | Some open on Jan 1 | Tokyo Solamachi opened on Jan 1 in 2026 |
| Banks | Closed Dec 31–Jan 3 (by law) | Konbini ATMs generally keep working |
| Post offices | Most counters closed Dec 31–Jan 3 | Some large post offices keep limited counters open |
| Museums | Many close from late December to Jan 1, some until Jan 3 or 4 | Check each museum’s calendar |
| Government offices | Closed Dec 29–Jan 3 | Reopen Mon Jan 4, 2027 |
This is the usual pattern, and exceptions are common. Every business sets its own dates. Check the official site of anything you have planned, especially restaurants and attractions.
Cash, ATMs and payments
Japanese banks are legally closed from December 31 to January 3, but that does not mean you can’t get cash. 7-Eleven (Seven Bank) and Lawson ATMs in convenience stores generally keep working through the holidays, and they accept most foreign cards. Fees for local bank customers may switch to holiday rates. Japan Post Bank ATMs inside post offices follow the post office’s opening hours, so many are unavailable when the branch is closed.
Practical tips:
- Take out cash before December 29. Shrine stalls, omikuji fortunes, charms and many small shops are cash-only.
- Keep some coins for shrine offerings and lockers.
- Top up your IC card (Suica or PASMO) ahead of time. Station machines work through the holidays, but queues at big stations can be long.
- Card payments work as usual at chains, department stores and konbini.
Museums, sights and shopping
Many museums close for several days around January 1. Dates differ a lot. In the 2025–26 season, for example, the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno closed from December 22 for inspections and the New Year break. It reopened on the afternoon of January 1 (from 13:00) with its “Hatsumode at the Museum” programme and New Year performances. Other museums stay closed until January 3 or 4, so always check before you travel across town.
Places that are usually open:
- Tokyo Skytree and other observation decks. These are popular for the first sunrise on January 1, which is around 6:50 in Tokyo. Special early openings usually need advance tickets.
- Shrines and temples, of course. This is hatsumode season. See our guide to calmer New Year shrines in east Tokyo.
- Parks and gardens. Some Tokyo metropolitan gardens close for the New Year, so check before going.
Department stores and fukubukuro. Major department stores now close on January 1. In 2026, Mitsukoshi Isetan and Seibu Sogo started their New Year sales (hatsuuri) on January 2. Matsuya Ginza and GINZA SIX started on January 3 (Fashionsnap 2026 list). Nihombashi Mitsukoshi opened slightly early on January 2, 2026, with thousands of people queuing for fukubukuro (lucky bags of mystery goods sold at a discount) (nippon.com). Some malls, including Tokyo Solamachi at Skytree and LaLaport, opened on January 1. If you want lucky bags, arrive before opening and expect queues. Popular bags can also be reserved online in December.
Trains on New Year’s Eve and January 1
Tokyo’s trains run every day over New Year, usually on weekend/holiday timetables. All-night service is no longer the norm, but JR East ran extra late-night trains on New Year’s Eve 2025–26 (JR East):
- Yamanote Line: about 1:00–5:00, every 10–25 minutes
- Chuo-Sobu Line (local): Mitaka–Chiba, about 0:20–4:40, every 15–120 minutes. This line stops at Akihabara, Ryogoku, Kinshicho, Kameido and Shin-Koiwa, which is useful for east Tokyo hotels.
- Keihin-Tohoku, Chuo Rapid, Yokosuka and Sobu/Narita lines: limited late trains
Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway did not run all night in 2025–26, and they used holiday timetables from December 30. The 2026–27 plan is usually announced in early December. If you plan to stay out past midnight, check your route’s official notice. Agree a meeting point with your group too, because stations near big shrines get very crowded around midnight.
The January 2 Imperial Palace New Year greeting
On January 2 each year, the Imperial Palace opens its inner grounds for the New Year greeting (Shinnen Ippan Sanga). The Emperor, the Empress and members of the Imperial Family appear several times on the balcony of the Chowa-den Hall. Entry is free and no tickets are needed.
In 2026 the gates opened from 9:30 to 14:10, with five appearances at about 10:10, 11:00, 11:50, 13:30 and 14:20 (Go Tokyo). Visitors enter through the main gate near Nijubashi and leave through gates such as Sakashita-mon or Kikyo-mon. The nearest stations are Nijubashimae and Hibiya. The 2027 greeting falls on Saturday, January 2. The Imperial Household Agency usually confirms the times in December. Expect security checks and long, slow queues, so arrive early, travel light and dress warmly.
What to eat over New Year
New Year food is one of the best parts of the season:
- Toshikoshi soba (Dec 31). Buckwheat noodles eaten on New Year’s Eve to “cross over” into the new year. The long, easily cut noodles symbolise a long life and letting go of the year’s troubles. Soba shops are busiest in the evening of the 31st. Some sell takeaway, and konbini sell cup versions.
- Osechi. Lacquered boxes of cold New Year dishes, each with a meaning: black beans for health, herring roe for children, prawns for long life. Department stores sell osechi boxes for pre-order, and smaller sets turn up in konbini and supermarkets.
- Ozoni. A mochi rice-cake soup eaten on New Year’s morning. In Tokyo it is usually a clear broth with square grilled mochi. Cut mochi into small pieces and chew it well, because it is very sticky.
- Amazake and shrine stalls. Warm sweet amazake, grilled mochi and festival snacks are sold near big shrines on January 1–3.
If a favourite restaurant is closed, hotel restaurants, ramen and gyudon chains, family restaurants and food courts in open malls are reliable options.
Health care and our year-end hours
Most clinics and pharmacies close or shorten their hours over New Year. Plan ahead if you take regular medicine, and pack a small supply of anything you normally use. In an emergency, call 119 (ambulance and fire). For tourist help in English, JNTO’s Japan Visitor Hotline operates 24 hours a day at 050-3816-2787. For non-urgent medical advice, Tokyo’s #7119 line can help you decide whether you need emergency care.
Fuji Wellness is a licensed acupuncture clinic in Matsushima, Edogawa City, with consultations in English, Vietnamese and Japanese. It is about 20 minutes door to door from Kinshicho. Regular hours are Monday–Thursday 9:00–12:00 and 14:00–17:00, and Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 8:00–12:00. We are closed on Fridays and work by appointment only. Our year-end and New Year schedule may differ, so please check our News page or message us for year-end hours before planning a visit. Directions are in how to get to Fuji Wellness from Kinshicho, Kameido and Shinkoiwa, and bookings go through our contact page.
Frequently asked questions
Is everything closed in Tokyo on January 1?
No. Convenience stores, trains, hotels, shrines, temples and many chain restaurants are open on January 1. Banks, post offices, government offices, department stores, many museums and small family-run restaurants are usually closed. Some shopping malls, such as Tokyo Solamachi in 2026, open on January 1.
Can I use ATMs in Japan over New Year?
Yes. Banks are closed from December 31 to January 3, but ATMs in 7-Eleven and Lawson convenience stores generally keep working and accept most foreign cards. Japan Post Bank ATMs inside post offices follow branch hours, so many are unavailable while the post office is closed. Take out cash before the holidays to be safe.
Do Tokyo trains run all night on New Year’s Eve?
Not all of them. On New Year’s Eve 2025–26, JR East ran extra late-night trains on lines such as the Yamanote Line (about 1:00–5:00) and the Chuo-Sobu local line (about 0:20–4:40). Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway did not run all night. The plan for 2026–27 is normally announced in early December.
When are the New Year sales in Tokyo?
Most department stores close on January 1 and start their sales on January 2 or 3. In 2026, Mitsukoshi Isetan and Seibu Sogo began on January 2, while Matsuya Ginza and GINZA SIX began on January 3. Lucky bags (fukubukuro) sell fast, so arrive before opening.
When is the Imperial Palace New Year greeting in 2027?
The New Year greeting is held on January 2 each year, so in 2027 it falls on Saturday, January 2. In 2026 the gates were open from 9:30 to 14:10, with five balcony appearances. Check the Imperial Household Agency website in December for the confirmed 2027 times.
Related reading
- Hatsumode without the crush: calmer New Year shrines in east Tokyo
- Tokyo in December 2026: illuminations, Christmas markets and year-end fairs
- January sumo in Tokyo: Hatsu Basho 2027 guide
- Tokyo in winter for Australians
- How to get to Fuji Wellness from Kinshicho, Kameido and Shinkoiwa
Reviewed by Sunny Pham Sensei, Japan National Acupuncture License (鍼師 / 灸師). Travel information is approximate and may change; please check official sources before your visit. Health content on this site is educational and not medical advice.