New Year's Eve in Tokyo 2026: The Complete Countdown Guide

Why NYE in Tokyo Is Different

Most cities do one thing on New Year's Eve. Tokyo does everything, simultaneously, in different registers.

There is the shrine version: 108 bell strikes at midnight, incense smoke rising over lantern-lit approaches, families in winter coats queuing for their first prayer of the new year. There is the observation deck version: Tokyo's skyline at midnight from 250 meters, champagne in hand, fireworks catching the horizon. There is the club version: Tokyo's underground scene treats December 31 as its biggest night of the year — ten-hour sets, full floors, artists who don't play anywhere else on this scale. And there is the street version: Shibuya and Shinjuku filling up, the city's night-time energy at its annual peak.

None of these are mutually exclusive. With the right plan, you can move between worlds in a single night.

The Club Scene: Tokyo NYE Underground

For electronic music fans, December 31 is the most important night on Tokyo's calendar. The city's major clubs run full-scale NYE editions with lineups that don't exist at any other time of year.

NYE club events in Tokyo typically:

• Open at 23:00 and run until 8:00–10:00am on January 1
• Charge premium door prices (¥4,000–¥8,000 depending on venue and lineup)
• Sell out weeks in advance — early tickets are essential
• Feature extended sets, often 3–4 hours per artist
• Include a midnight countdown moment on the dance floor

Vent (Minami-Aoyama): Tokyo's most acclaimed club, consistently featuring international heavyweights alongside the best of the local underground. NYE editions here sell out first — track tickets from late October.

Womb (Shibuya): The four-floor Shibuya institution runs a fully themed NYE event every year. Multiple rooms mean multiple sounds: techno downstairs, house and progressive upstairs.

Unit (Daikanyama): Smaller than Womb but with arguably better sound and a more focused lineup.

Bonobo (Minami-Aoyama): For house and disco: warm, basement, intimate.

Shrine Visits at Midnight: Hatsumode

Hatsumode (初詣) — the first shrine or temple visit of the new year — is the defining ritual of Japanese New Year. Lines start forming before midnight.

Meiji Jingu (Harajuku): The most-visited shrine in Japan for Hatsumode, typically receiving 3 million visitors across the first three days of January.

Sensoji (Asakusa): Tokyo's oldest and most iconic temple. The giant lanterns at the Kaminarimon gate are illuminated.

Zojoji Temple (Shiba): Directly in front of Tokyo Tower. The temple runs a NYE countdown bell-ringing ceremony — 108 strikes to purify 108 worldly desires.

First Sunrise: Hatsu-Hinode

Hatsu-hinode (初日の出) — the first sunrise of the new year. Sunrise on January 1, 2027 is approximately 6:52am in Tokyo.

Takao-san (Mount Takao): The most popular sunrise hike from Tokyo. The summit trail takes 1–1.5 hours.

Odaiba / Tokyo Bay waterfront: Sea-level sunrise over the Bay, with Rainbow Bridge and the skyline in the foreground.

Getting Around on NYE

Tokyo's rail network runs special overnight service on December 31 / January 1 — most lines keep running through the night. Check the specific service schedule for the year on each operator's website from mid-December.

Planning Timeline