Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Tokyo

New Year’s Eve in Tokyo is generally spent at home watching song contests aired on TV. But of course, like any big city in the world, you can find several places to party.

Clubs
You could party at local clubs such as Womb or Sound Museum Vision. There are other exciting clubs in Tokyo that you might want to check out. For instance, ageHa in Shin-Kiba offers some great wild parties while Genius in Ginza has a more chic atmosphere. The choice would depend on how you want to party.

Shibuya crossing
People traveling to Tokyo around New Year’s Eve usually party in clubs and bar in Shibuya. At midnight, Shibuya crossing is packed full of people heading there for the great celebration.

Eating Soba
Soba noodles are traditionally eaten on New Year’s eve as they are thought to provide good fortunes and to foster longevity. They are also thought to drive away hardships. Apart from the traditional purposes, it is also a great food to have before a night of partying and drinking.

Hatsumode
If you are visiting Japan for a more spiritual retreat, you might want to go for a New Year Hatsumode. The Hatsumode is a term used to define the year’s first visit to a shrine. The Jinja (shrine) in Japan is a sacred place where people flock to formulate wishes and to offer prayers. Shrines are usually very crowded during the first five days of the New Year and you could expect long queues. Some of the most famous shrines in Tokyo are the Meiji, Yasukuni and Asakusa Shrines.