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EveryParampara

Next: 1 to 3 Jan 2027

Oshogatsu

The Japanese new year: osechi in lacquered boxes, a first shrine visit, kadomatsu at the gate and money for children.

Japanese New Year
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Fg2 assumed (based on copyright c, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

When is Oshogatsu in 2027?

Oshogatsu 2027 runs from 1 to 3 January 2027. Other years: 2026, 1 to 3 January 2026; 2028, 1 to 3 January 2028.

About Oshogatsu

Oshogatsu is the most important holiday in Japan. In the days beforehand, homes are cleaned in osoji, and pine and bamboo decorations, kadomatsu, are placed at the gate to invite the new year gods. At midnight, Buddhist temples ring their great bells 108 times, joya no kane, for the 108 earthly desires. On the first days people make their hatsumode, the first visit to a shrine or temple, to pray for health and fortune. They eat osechi ryori, a set of foods packed in layered boxes, with each item a wish for the year, and ozoni soup with mochi. Children receive otoshidama in small decorated envelopes. Postcards, nengajo, are sent to friends, timed to arrive on the first morning.

Oshogatsu dates: 2026, 2027, 2028

YearOshogatsu date
20261 to 3 January 2026
20271 to 3 January 2027
20281 to 3 January 2028

What is eaten

  • osechi
  • ozoni
  • mochi
  • toshikoshi soba

Traditions of Oshogatsu

Joya no KaneThe 108 bell strokes.KadomatsuThe pine and bamboo gate decoration.

Also part of it, and being written: Osechi (The new year foods in tiered boxes.), Hatsumode (The first shrine visit of the year.).

More marked on Oshogatsu

🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreFukubukuro福袋 Surprise discount grab bags sold by Japanese retailers for the New YearSeasonal
About this page

Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Japanese New Year" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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