This guide draws on official information from railway companies, attractions, temples and shrines available on October 27, 2026, and prices checked that day on booking and route search sites. Where details for 2026–27 had not yet been announced, we say “last year.” We will update this page when announcements are made.
At midnight on New Year’s Eve, the bells at Sensoji Temple begin to ring. The 108 strikes take about 40 minutes. After dusk, people gradually gather in the temple grounds to wait for the year to turn.
And Tokyo’s first sunrise of 2027 is at 6:50 a.m.
Temples and shrines are at the heart of Tokyo’s New Year. This four night, five day trip is built around them.
The answer first — five days and three decisions
- Day 1, Tuesday, December 29: From the airport to your hotel area. Spend the evening nearby
- Day 2, Wednesday, December 30: A day on the east side: Asakusa, Ueno and Skytree
- Day 3, Thursday, December 31, New Year’s Eve: Shibuya, Harajuku and Shinjuku by day. Choose where to be at midnight
- Day 4, Friday, January 1, New Year’s Day: First shrine or temple visit of the year, and places open on January 1
- Day 5, Saturday, January 2: To the airport
There are three decisions to make.
- Where to spend the night of December 31. Will you welcome midnight at a temple or shrine, or sleep early and head out on New Year’s morning? This determines where to stay.
- What is open on New Year’s Day. Department stores and many Ueno museums close. Some observation decks and museums do open.
- Only the night of December 31 is expensive for hotels. December 30, January 1 and January 2 are often close to normal prices or cheaper.
Before you go — the 2026–27 calendar
New Year’s Day 2027 falls on a Friday.
- JR East runs a holiday timetable from December 30 to January 3. At some times there are fewer trains than on weekdays.
- In Ueno, Tokyo National Museum closes December 26–31; the National Museum of Western Art and National Museum of Nature and Science close December 28–January 1.
- Many department stores close on New Year’s Day. Most Takashimaya stores close on both January 1 and 2, 2027.
- Tours inside the Imperial Palace are suspended from December 28 to January 4.
For closures by date → New Year in Japan 2026-27
Day 1, Tuesday, December 29 — get to your hotel area
On arrival day, focus on getting to the area where you are staying. This itinerary uses Ueno or Asakusa as its base (see “Choosing where to stay” for why).
- Narita to Ueno: Keisei Skyliner, no transfer, 41 minutes on board. ¥2,567 (¥1,267 fare paid by IC card plus a ¥1,300 Skyliner ticket).
- Haneda to Asakusa: Keikyu express train, no transfer, 41 minutes. ¥599 with an IC card.
Every Skyliner seat is reserved. Tapping an IC card alone is not enough to board. Buy a Skyliner ticket first at a station ticket machine or counter, or through Keisei’s online booking. You can pay the basic fare with an IC card.
If staying in Shinjuku, the Skyliner and Yamanote Line from Narita take 1 hour 22 minutes (¥2,820). For Tokyo Station, the Narita Express (N’EX) takes 1 hour 8 minutes without a transfer (¥3,140: ¥1,410 basic fare plus ¥1,730 reserved-seat limited express ticket). All N’EX seats are reserved too, and you need the limited express ticket before boarding (from a reserved-seat ticket machine at the station or JR East’s online booking). The basic fare can be paid with an IC card. The N’EX price for December 29 was the same as for a weekday in November.
After leaving your luggage at the hotel, stay close by in the evening. In Ueno, the Ameyoko shopping street runs between JR Ueno and Okachimachi stations.
Train cost today: Narita to Ueno ¥2,567 (or Haneda to Asakusa ¥599)
To compare ways into the city from the airport → Airport to the City in Japan: Train, Bus or Taxi?
Day 2, Wednesday, December 30 — east Tokyo: Asakusa, Ueno and Skytree
The stations on this east-side route are close together.
- Ueno → Asakusa: 5 minutes on the Ginza Line
- Asakusa → Tokyo Skytree Station: 3 minutes on Tobu
- Tokyo Skytree Station → Ueno: 14 minutes on Tobu and the Ginza Line
Start the morning at Sensoji Temple. Its main hall opens at 6:30 a.m. from October through March. The bells will ring here the following night. Seeing the grounds in daylight first is worthwhile.
Ueno’s main museums are closed this day (Tokyo National Museum, National Museum of Western Art and National Museum of Nature and Science). Make it an Ameyoko day instead. The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) says Ameyoko gets very crowded at year-end, and many items sell out by the morning of December 31. This street shows you Tokyo at the end of the year.
Head to Skytree in the evening. From December 29–31 it opens from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. (last entry 9:30 p.m.). Admission to the Tembo Deck and Tembo Galleria starts at ¥3,000 for adults. Prices vary by day, so check the price for your date on the booking site.
If it rains, Sumida Aquarium is in Solamachi at the foot of Skytree (open year-round).
Train cost today: ¥670 by IC card (Ueno → Asakusa → Skytree → Ueno)
Day 3, Thursday, December 31, New Year’s Eve — west by day, choose midnight’s location by night
Daytime — Shibuya, Harajuku and Shinjuku
- Ueno → Shibuya: 28 minutes on the Ginza Line, no transfer
- Shibuya → Harajuku: 2 minutes on the Yamanote Line
- Harajuku → Shinjuku: 4 minutes on the Yamanote Line
- Shinjuku → Ueno: 25 minutes on the Yamanote Line, no transfer
On New Year’s Eve, walk through the western districts, across town from yesterday’s old neighborhoods.
Harajuku Station is the nearest station to Meiji Jingu Shrine. If you plan to spend midnight there (option B below), walk from the station to the shrine entrance while it is light, so you know the route at night.
East of Shinjuku Station is where to start for shopping and food. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government observation decks to the west are closed this day (December 29–31). New Year’s Day is not listed as a closure day, so you can try on day 4 (check the official notice the day before to see if they will open).
Return to your hotel by evening. New Year’s Eve can be a long night. Rest, then put on warm clothes before heading out; it will make the wait until midnight easier.
Train cost today: ¥772 by IC card (Ueno → Shibuya → Harajuku → Shinjuku → Ueno; evening travel costs extra)
Night — where will you be at midnight?
One thing to know first: some lines run after the last scheduled train on New Year’s Eve; others stop.
For 2026–27, JR East has announced extra trains on six lines around Tokyo. The Yamanote Line will run about every 10–30 minutes from around 1:00 to 4:50 a.m. Other lines will run less often.
As of October 27, the subway and private railway operators had not announced their 2026–27 plans. Last year, Toei Subway stopped after its last trains. Tokyo Metro was also reported to have stopped. Keio and Keisei ran through the night last year.
Decide on your midnight location, hotel area and return train line together.
A Hear the New Year’s Eve bells at Sensoji Temple
The bells begin at midnight and continue for about 40 minutes. After dusk, the grounds gradually fill with people.
If you stay in Asakusa, you can walk back. Last year, Tobu trains serving Asakusa stopped after the last scheduled train even on New Year’s Eve. The subways are as described above. If you spend this night at Sensoji, a hotel in Asakusa suits December 31. From a hotel in Ueno, you will have to walk or take a taxi back from Asakusa. Check the walking route and time on a map in daylight. JR’s extra trains serving Ueno Station cannot take you back from Asakusa.
B Welcome the new year at Meiji Jingu Shrine
Last year, visitors could worship throughout the night of December 31 without a closure (according to Tokyo’s official tourism site). Several million people visit from New Year’s Eve through January 3.
Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line is the nearest station. Extra Yamanote trains run after midnight, but start around 1:00 a.m. If you finish your visit shortly after midnight, you may have to wait at the station until around 1:00. Dress warmly. Staying near a Yamanote Line station, such as Shinjuku, Shibuya or Ueno, makes your route back clear. From Asakusa, leaving at 9:00 p.m. takes about 37 minutes (¥431). Of the subway lines back to an Asakusa hotel, the Toei Asakusa Line stopped after its last train last year. The Ginza Line was also reported to have stopped.
C Spend New Year’s midnight at Kanda Myojin Shrine
At Kanda Myojin, the counter for receiving amulets and talismans opens at midnight on January 1, 2027 (until 9:40 p.m.). Last year, the gate opened at midnight on New Year’s Day and more than 300,000 people visited. A 24-hour live video shows the shrine grounds, so you can check the crowds before leaving.
Before going out, use a route planner to decide how you will get back to your hotel after midnight.
D Sleep early and head out on New Year’s morning
You can celebrate the new year without being outside at midnight. Some people sleep early, then go for the year’s first shrine visit or sunrise on New Year’s morning.
Skytree has special first-sunrise opening hours from 5:30 to 7:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day. Entry is from 5:30 to 6:00 a.m. The ¥11,000 tickets are allocated by an official lottery for 580 tickets (applications November 5 at noon to November 26 at 11:59 p.m.). Under regular admission, last entry on New Year’s Eve is 9:30 p.m., so you cannot spend midnight on the observation deck.
Your midnight choice determines where to stay
| What you want to do | Nearby area | Way back on New Year’s Eve |
|---|---|---|
| Hear the bells at Sensoji | Asakusa | Walk back (from a Ueno hotel, walk or take a taxi) |
| Welcome the new year at Meiji Jingu | Shinjuku, Shibuya or Ueno (Yamanote Line stations) | Extra Yamanote trains (around 1:00–4:50 a.m.; you may wait after midnight) |
| Welcome the new year near Tokyo Tower | Tokyo Station, Ginza or Hamamatsucho | Extra Yamanote and Keihin-Tohoku trains at Hamamatsucho Station |
| Win the Skytree first-sunrise lottery | Oshiage or Asakusa | (Entry is 5:30–6:00 a.m.; see the note under “Choosing where to stay”) |
| Arrive at and depart from Narita | Ueno (Skyliner), Tokyo Station or Shinjuku (N’EX) | Last year, trains ran all night between Keisei Ueno and Keisei Narita |
What about a countdown?
As of October 27, no Tokyo countdown event for 2026–27 had been announced. Last year, an event began at 11:30 p.m. on December 31 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building’s Tomin Hiroba plaza. There was no official ward countdown at Shibuya Scramble Crossing last year (the sixth consecutive cancellation). Last year’s Shibuya Ward notice banned street drinking “daily from 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. the next day.”
Tokyo Disney Resort closes at 9:00 p.m. on December 31. It has no overnight New Year operation.
Day 4, Friday, January 1, New Year’s Day — first shrine visit and places open
Morning — hatsumode, the first shrine or temple visit
If you were outside at midnight, take it easy in the morning. Fitting in both a midnight visit and Skytree at 5:30 a.m. would leave almost no time to sleep.
Online accounts offer only a guide to crowded times for hatsumode. New Year’s Day is said to be busiest around midnight and at midday (roughly 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.), and less busy around 6:30–8:00 a.m. and from evening (at Sensoji and Meiji Jingu). Weather and the year can still make it crowded even if you change your timing.
At a shrine, it is customary to bow once before the torii gate and avoid walking in the center of the approach.
From midday — places open on New Year’s Day
These places have already published their New Year’s Day hours.
| Place | New Year’s Day | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Skytree (Oshiage) | 8:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. (last entry 9:00 p.m.) | Regular opening after the first-sunrise session |
| Tokyo National Museum (Ueno) | Noon–8:00 p.m. | Closed at year-end and open from New Year’s Day. General admission to the collection exhibition is ¥1,000 |
| Tokyo Disney Resort | 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. | Adult one-day passport ¥11,900 (December 27–January 2) |
The following four do not list New Year’s Day as a closure day. Check their official notices the day before for January 1 hours.
| Place | Usual hours | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Metropolitan Government observation decks (Shinjuku) | 9:30 a.m.–10:00 p.m. (north deck until 5:30 p.m.; last entry 30 minutes before closing) | Free. Closed December 29–31 and January 2–3. January 1 is not listed among closure days |
| teamLab Planets (Toyosu) | 8:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. | Until 8:00 p.m. on December 31 |
| Sumida Aquarium (Solamachi) | — | Open year-round |
| Tokyo City View (Roppongi observation deck) | 10:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. | Open daily during November 13–February 14 |
Many places close on New Year’s Day, but some observation decks open. You can see the year’s first Tokyo from above.
If you stay in Ueno, you could visit Tokyo National Museum at midday and go to Shinjuku’s Tokyo Metropolitan Government observation deck in the evening (Ueno → Tochomae is 30 minutes and ¥317 on the Ginza and Oedo lines). The north deck closes at 5:30 p.m. (last entry 5:00); which of the north and south decks opens varies by day. Check the official site the day before for whether it opens on New Year’s Day, which deck and its hours. In the evening, allow for the trip from the museum and the queue to reach the deck, and leave early enough.
Shopping on New Year’s Day: Most department stores close. Places described as open from New Year’s Day last year included Solamachi (from 10:00 a.m.), LaLaport, Laforet Harajuku, Don Quijote (including lucky bags), and Uniqlo (its “New Year Festival” January 1–8). Each store will announce its 2027 plans in November or December.
Food on New Year’s Day: Some restaurants close during the first three days of the year. Convenience stores were open on New Year’s Day last year too. If there is a restaurant you want to visit, check its notice the day before.
Train cost today: ¥634 by IC card (Ueno ⇔ Tochomae round trip; add ¥286 if going from Ueno to Oshiage for sunrise)
Day 5, Saturday, January 2 — to the airport
- Ueno → Narita: Skyliner, no transfer, 1 hour 5 minutes. ¥2,567 (buy the Skyliner ticket first)
- Tokyo → Narita: N’EX, no transfer, 1 hour 6 minutes. ¥3,140 (buy the limited express ticket first)
- Asakusa → Haneda: Toei Asakusa Line through to Keikyu, no transfer, 43 minutes. ¥599
- Shinjuku → Haneda: Yamanote Line and Keikyu, 44 minutes. ¥580
If your flight is later, you may have a little time in the morning. Only plan an outing if there is still time after working back from your airline’s recommended airport arrival time, allowing for collecting luggage at your hotel and traveling to the airport. With children or large bags, going straight to the airport is enough for this day. Ueno’s National Museum of Nature and Science reopens on January 2 (closed December 28–January 1). Last year, some department stores began their first sale of the year on January 2 (Takashimaya is closed on January 2, 2027 too).
Last year, the Imperial Palace held a New Year public greeting on January 2. The 2027 event has not yet been announced.
Train cost today: Ueno to Narita ¥2,567
Choosing where to stay on this trip
Location — choose by midnight and your route back
The day 3 night table (“Your midnight choice determines where to stay”) shows where to stay.
Ueno and Asakusa are the base for this itinerary because you can reach them from Narita without changing trains and they are near Sensoji. For midnight at Meiji Jingu, Shinjuku or Shibuya is a better fit.
If you win the Skytree first-sunrise lottery: Entry is 5:30–6:00 a.m.; the meeting point is Solamachi Hiroba on the first floor of Skytree Town. Skytree says entry is possible after 6:00, but crowds may mean missing sunrise. On October 27, a route search for trains leaving Ueno from 5:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day showed arrival at Oshiage at 5:36. The New Year’s morning train schedule will not be known until December. Staying in Oshiage or Asakusa lets you walk there without waiting for a train. Asakusa is a large area, so check the walking time from your hotel to Solamachi Hiroba on a map before booking.
There is little reason to stay near Disney (Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture) just for New Year’s Eve. It has no overnight New Year operation.
Price — only the December 31 night is expensive
| Area | Dec 29 | Dec 30 | Dec 31 | Jan 1 | Jan 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Around Ueno and Asakusa | About ¥19,000 | About ¥21,000 | About ¥32,000 | About ¥16,000 | About ¥12,000 |
| Around Shinjuku | About ¥23,000 | About ¥23,000 | About ¥32,000 | About ¥19,000 | About ¥16,000 |
| Around Tokyo Station and Ginza | — | About ¥27,000 | About ¥31,000 | About ¥18,000 | About ¥15,000 |
One person in one room, tax included. These are roughly the middle prices among the first plans shown for around a dozen to 30 listings (mainly business hotels) near the top of Rakuten Travel’s recommended order on the evening of October 27. They are neither the cheapest available rooms nor area averages.
Comparing the same hotels, December 31 cost about 1.3–1.5 times the previous night. In many examples the price fell to about half that on New Year’s Day. Around Ueno and Asakusa, even a November weekday (November 18) was more expensive than December 30.
For two people sharing a room, the room price was roughly 10–30% higher than for one person (examples checked for December 30 and 31). Per person, that is a little more than half.
Around Shibuya, few single-occupancy rooms remained for December 31; on October 27, the remaining options were mostly whole-property rentals or expensive accommodation.
Prices change daily. On the booking screen, check the final amount payable and the deadline for free cancellation. In Tokyo, accommodation tax of ¥100 or ¥200 applies when the room-only, pre-tax rate is ¥10,000 or more per person per night.
Type — accommodation that fits this trip
- Business hotels: A good base for this trip. Many are near stations, and most prices above are for this type. → Business Hotels
- Capsule hotels: For solo travelers who want to spend as little as possible. One capsule hotel in Shinjuku cost ¥4,500 even on December 31 (an example seen October 27). → Capsule Hotels
For more about each area → Where to Stay in Tokyo on Your First Trip／Staying in Ueno or Asakusa／Staying in Shinjuku／Staying Around Tokyo Station, Ginza and Nihombashi
See places to stay in Tokyo on Agoda (affiliate link)
Total budget — how much for one person over four nights and five days?
An example for one person in one room for four nights around Ueno or Asakusa, flying in and out of Narita.
| Item | Example cost | Figures used |
|---|---|---|
| Four hotel nights (December 29–January 1 nights) | About ¥86,700 | Sum of the middle-range prices in the table above |
| Airport trains (return) | About ¥5,100 | Skyliner ¥2,567 × 2 (includes basic fare by IC card and Skyliner ticket) |
| City trains (days 2–4) | About ¥2,100 | Day 2 ¥670, day 3 daytime ¥772, day 4 ¥634 (Ueno ⇔ Tochomae). Excludes New Year’s Eve night travel and Oshiage trip for sunrise |
| Admission | About ¥4,000 | Skytree from ¥3,000; Tokyo National Museum ¥1,000 (government observation deck is free) |
| Total (food extra) | About ¥98,000 plus food | Example prices checked October 27 |
Your New Year’s Eve train cost depends on where you spend midnight (¥0 if staying in Asakusa and visiting Sensoji). With two people sharing, the accommodation cost per person is a little more than half. Add Disney (adult one-day passport ¥11,900) or Skytree’s first sunrise (¥11,000) if you include them.
Can you really fit it all in? What to book first
- Book the December 31 hotel night first. Only that night jumps in price, and rooms around Shibuya were already scarce in October.
- Apply for Skytree’s first sunrise by November 26. It is a lottery; results are announced December 1.
- If extending to Kyoto or Osaka, Shinkansen reserved seats go on sale at 10:00 a.m. one month before travel (according to JR Central). For December 30 travel, that is 10:00 a.m. on November 30.
- Ueno’s museums close at year-end. Tokyo National Museum opens from midday on New Year’s Day.
- Official sources do not say when hatsumode is most crowded. Online accounts offer a guide if you want to shift your visit.
- If you spend midnight outside, take a late start on New Year’s Day. Starting your plans at midday avoids an exhausting morning.
For New Year arrangements to book in November → New Year in Japan 2026-27: What to Book in November
If you extend the trip
Kyoto and Osaka (+3 nights)
On January 2, head to Tokyo Station instead of the airport. The Nozomi Shinkansen takes 2 hours 15 minutes to Kyoto.
- Nozomi has no unreserved seats from December 25 to January 5. All seats are reserved. A reserved seat Tokyo → Kyoto was ¥14,570 (the same for Tokyo → Kyoto on December 30 and Kyoto → Tokyo on January 3).
- Hikari and Kodama have unreserved seats. JR Central itself says they are “very crowded every year.” An unreserved Hikari seat on December 30 was ¥13,320.
- If using a JR Pass: The nationwide JR Pass does not let you board Nozomi as is. You can take Hikari or Kodama (or Nozomi with a special additional ticket).
- Last year, Shinkansen heading west from Tokyo were crowded on the mornings of December 27–31, and trains returning toward Tokyo on the afternoons of January 2–4.
Some Kyoto sights close at the start of the year. Between December 26 and January 5, the inside of Nijo Castle’s Ninomaru Palace can be seen only on January 4 (based on the castle’s listed closure days). Tours of Kyoto Imperial Palace stop December 28–January 4; Kyoto National Museum closes December 28–January 1.
Snowy Nagano (+2–3 nights)
From Tokyo, the Hokuriku Shinkansen (Asama) takes around 1 hour 30 minutes to Nagano. Reserved seats for December 30 and January 3 were ¥8,850 when checked on October 27. The route planner priced these dates at the year’s highest peak-season rate.
Book a reserved seat early for the New Year period. You can also use the JR EAST PASS (five days, ¥35,000) to Nagano.
If driving on snow, read this first → Driving in Japan in Winter, Hokkaido Included
If you go to Comiket (December 29–31)
Comiket 109 runs December 29–31, 2026. Its third day is New Year’s Eve.
On a Comiket day, spend daytime at the venue in Ariake, Tokyo, replacing the day 2 or day 3 daytime plan. On December 31 night, choose from this article’s “Night — where will you be at midnight?” Check the venue hours in the web catalog due November 6.
→ Comiket 109 (C109), Dec 29–31, 2026: First-Timer Guide／Where to Stay for Comiket 109
Rainy days
For indoor time on December 30 or 31, there is Skytree, Sumida Aquarium, teamLab Planets (until 8:00 p.m. on December 31), and Tokyo City View in Roppongi. On New Year’s Day, Tokyo National Museum and the government observation decks are additional options.
Holiday hours differ by venue. Check each venue’s official notice before heading out.
Tips to make the trip easier
- The after-last-train service announced for New Year’s Eve 2026–27 consists of extra JR East trains on six lines. As of October 27, subway and private railway plans had not yet been announced. Do not assume every train runs all night.
- Tokyo Subway Ticket covers only Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway. It cannot be used on the Yamanote Line running on New Year’s Eve.
- On this plan, an IC card costs about the same as or less than a day pass. Day 2 is ¥670 and day 3 is ¥772; a Tokyo Metro 24-hour ticket is ¥700. These days also use JR and Tobu, so a subway-only ticket will not cover every ride.
- You could change areas for just the December 31 night of your four-night stay. Staying near your midnight location shortens the route back.
