There is only one week left in 2019. Have you planned how to welcome 2020? Although there is only one day off for New Year's Day this year, I am smart and have already taken two days off to prepare for a New Year's Eve trip to Tokyo over the weekend. Listen to the first bell of t

There is only one week left in 2019.
Have you planned how to welcome 2020? Although there is only one day off for New Year's Day this year, I am smart and have already taken two days off to prepare for a New Year's Eve trip to Tokyo over the weekend. Listen to the first bell of the new year, experience Japan's first-year culture, and join the crowd to grab a lucky bag... Let's make 2020 more romantic!
Tokyo New Year's Eve Event Guide
For Japan, January 1st every year is their New Year. Like us, they will reunite with their relatives, eat together, watch the Japanese Spring Festival Gala together, and of course there will be a variety of traditional customs and interesting activities, which are well worth experiencing. Go to Zojoji and listen to the New Year Bell Starting from New Year's Eve, Tokyo Tower will turn on a dazzling light show, which changes continuously by the hour. However, don’t go to Tokyo Tower during New Year’s Eve because the bottom of the tower is dark. The real countdown place is at Zojoji Temple under Tokyo Tower. There is a traditional Japanese New Year's Eve ceremony here and you can see Tokyo Tower completely. Entering the gate of Zojoji Temple, there are food stalls on both sides of the road, which will give people the illusion of returning to a summer festival. While waiting, you can go shopping and eat here to warm up and experience the excitement and fun of Japanese temple fairs.

Starting around 11 o'clock, the New Year's Eve ceremonies begin one after another. After a series of procedures such as chanting sutras and praying, the highlight comes, the big night clock after the countdown. Every New Year's Eve, Japanese temples ring 108 bells, which means to eliminate 108 kinds of troubles.

[Onarimon Station] Walk about 3 minutes to Oji Inari Shrine to participate in the "Fox Parade" In Ojimachi, Kita-ku, Tokyo, many legends about foxes have been circulating since the Edo period. It is said that on New Year's Eve, all the foxes in Kanto will dress up under the hackberry tree near Oji and go to Oji Inari Shrine to pay their respects. Since New Year's Eve in 1993, Oji Inari Shrine has held the Oji Fox Parade every year, and it has become a New Year event. The general process of the parade is that the fox parade gathers at the Inari Shrine, pays homage, and sets off to Oji Inari Shrine, beating gongs and drums along the way to welcome the new year. The entire journey takes about 2.5 hours to 3 hours.

Counting down in front of the Ferris wheel in Kasai Rinkai Park
Kasai Rinkai Park has the largest seaside Ferris wheel in Japan. On New Year's Eve, there will be a countdown lighting event under the Ferris wheel. The event starts at 23:00, and a huge countdown clock will be set up in front of the Ferris wheel. The Ferris wheel will turn off its lights at 23:55 to count down to 2020 with the crowd on site, and then light up the neon lights again at midnight.

The Ferris wheel will be open until 8:00 on January 1st that night. Riding the Ferris wheel to welcome the first light of Tokyo Bay and watching the fiery red sun rising over Disney's castle is a romantic New Year's Eve experience. The night will be one I will never forget.

Watching the first sunrise of the New Year
Watching the first sunrise of the New Year is also a very popular New Year activity. If you can insist on having a good night, why not stop by and watch the New Year's sunrise? Maybe you will have good luck in the new year. Watching the first sun rise between Tokyo Bay and the tightly packed buildings is a unique experience. Over the years, many people have watched the sunrise at Tokyo Tower. It is best to line up in advance, otherwise you will miss the sunrise time.

Mount Takao As the only high mountain near Tokyo, it is also a very popular place to watch the sunrise during the New Year. And as long as you control the time, you don’t have to worry about missing the sunrise due to queuing. Many people take the late-night tram here to climb the mountain to watch the sunrise. Climbing the mountain with so many people always makes me feel happier than usual.

Experience Japanese Hatsuku culture

"Hatsutshitori" is a traditional custom in Japan. It refers to the first visit to a shrine or temple in a year to express gratitude for the past year and pray for good luck in the new year. Many people will go on New Year's Eve, but there are so many people. I still recommend going on New Year's Day to have a better experience. The specific contents of worship include making wishes before gods, drawing lots and ringing bells, asking for amulets, etc., or writing New Year's blessings on Ema and hanging them in the temple.Generally, you wash your hands with shrine water before entering a shrine, because your hands are used to summon the gods to convey wishes, so they must be clean. Sensoji Temple, Meiji Shrine, etc. are popular places for beginners. There are also many open-air markets near the shrine. You can choose to buy some small items to pray for a safe new year, such as evil arrows, windmills, and money rakes. Wait, get rid of the bad luck of the old year.