January festivals and shrines to visit during New Year

January 2 to 3,2018
This is a two-day festival where you can explore New Year traditions in Japan. Innovative live performances, incorporating traditional performing arts and cutting-edge technology, will be held. The New Year’s Theme Park is where you can wholly experience and discover Japan’s New Year traditions, try your hand at mochi-pounding or some calligraphy, enjoy street snacks, and take part in a kimono-wearing lesson. (The New Year’s Theme Park will take place in Hall E. Entry is free, but the stall village and the Japanese Culture Experience Zone require fees.)

January 8,2018
In Japan, the celebration of the New Year is a ceremony to welcome toshigami, the god of the coming year. Tondo-yaki, also called Dondo-yaki, is a fire festival to send the god back home to heaven. On the fire festival day, people burn spiritual items such as New Year’s decorations and old charms, and nibble on a mochi roasted above the purifying flames to ward off evil influences for the duration of the year.

January 13 to 14,2018
In Japanese mythology, there are seven gods of fortune believed to grant good luck. The highlight of the festival is when Shinto dancers, disguised as Daikoku and Ebisu, shake a mallet and suzu (bells) above the heads of worshipers to perform a purification ceremony.

January 24,2018
The festival is held three times a year, on the 24th of January, May, and September. A service is held in the Main Hall, twice a day at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The chanting of the Great Wisdom Sutra by 20 monks is truly stunning! You can see a crowd of worshippers lining up all the way to the Jizo Dori Street.

The shrine is known as a “power spot,” surrounded by lush greenery. It is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken. The shrine attracts the largest number of visitors in Japan during New Year. Worshippers can visit the shrine at midnight at the turn of the year.

Standing next to the Tokyo Tower, Zojo-ji is a temple notable for its relationship with the Tokugawa clan, the rulers of Japan during the Edo period. You can offer prayers at the Main Hall from midnight on New Year’s Eve until 5:30 p.m. on New Year’s Day.

Nestled in the heart of Shinjuku, the shrine is a place for business people to pray for successful ventures. It is also popular for people who work in the entertainment business. During New Year, you can make a visit to the shrine 24 hours a day. The shrine will be packed with visitors from midnight to 4:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day.

The shrine is affectionately referred to as “O-Ise-Sama in Tokyo” because it enshrines the same deities that exist at the Ise Grand Shrine. The shrine is known for helping with the success of love and marriage. The peak hours are from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on January 1 and 2.

Senso-ji Temple is popular among domestic and international visitors. The temple attracts quite some crowds during New Year. When a new year dawns at the stroke of midnight, crowds erupt with cheers.

Yushima Tenman-gu is a shrine devoted to the god of learning. With entrance exams in February and March, many students and parents will worship at the shrine for divine assistance. The peak hours are from noon to 4:00 p.m.

People visit Kanda Myojin Shrine to pray for success in business. Business people from many companies flock to the shrine to offer prayers on Jan. 4, the first business day of the year. There are a wide variety of amulets available, including amulets for victory, as well as for IT to keep your mobile phone and computer running smoothly.

This is a shrine built in accordance with the dying wish of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first Tokugawa shogun. Make a visit to the shrine and take a stroll through the Ueno Park. There is also a shrine devoted to the spirit of a raccoon dog. Amulets and ema (wooden votive tablets) are popular.