Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Sightseeing in Japan during the New Year holidays

Bonjour Lynne, I've been in Tokyo during this time of year quite a number of time, one of my favorite time of the year in Tokyo, actually. From approx Dec 28 to Jan 4, expect all state museums, zoos, official business (except post offices), and unfortunately the Tourist Information Center (TIC) to be closed, so get there for informations and hotel reservations in advance. Some hotels will be closed over Newyear. I know my two favorite small ryokans are open: Asakusa Shigetsu and Katsutaro ryokan in Yanaka. However, most private museums, shops, all temples, shrines, and all department stores, are open. All this means that Tokyoites leave the city in droves to head for their home province to spend the Newyear with their family, so Tokyo is less crowded, less polluted, and you even get a chance to see Mt Fuji from one of the tower observatories (Sunshine 60 in Ikebukuro, City Hall in Shinjuku). There are end-of-the-year and beginning-of-the-year fleamarkets all around the city. Many smaller shops will be closed on the 31st and for a few days, but a big number will be open on Jan 1st for special sales (look for "fuku-bukuro" - surprise packages - in department stores). On Jan 1st, don't miss visiting the nearby temples and shrines, where you'll see many Japanese wearing their finest kimono for the first temple visit of the year, and often food stalls and a fleamarket. I found very good bargains at Nezu shrine. A very popular pastime on the 1st is touring the temples of the 7 gods of good fortune. You can ask special maps at the tourist office. Such a walk starts at the Benten temple on the small island in the middle of Shinobazu pond, next to Ueno Park. It goes through the traditional area of Nezu, Yanaka and Sendagi, and many shops and old houses are open for visit along the way. You'll meed groups of middle-aged Japanese chatting joyfully while en route to the next temple, with stops for tea, cakes, shopping. If you can stay in a traditional area (Yanaka, Nezu, Asakusa), you'll see the local folks busy cleaning their homes and shops on the 31st and putting special decorations on the doorstep. The atmosphere is very festive and relaxed. In most temples and shrine (Asakusa especially), you can buy those decorations on the 31st, some are very beautiful and small enough to be carried back home. A word of caution: on Jan 1st, the most popular temples (Asakusa, Meiji, ...) are very crowded, and this is one of the only time of the year where there is a risk of being pickpocketed. I've never been a victim, have never heard of a tourist being robbed, but all my Japanese friends have always warned me about the risk.