Hatsumōde

Rituals and shrine grounds

Large crowds gather at religious sites across Japan during the opening days of January. Upon arrival, worshippers present their prayers and wishes for the upcoming months. It is customary to bring back old omamori, which are protective amulets, so shrine staff can burn them. Attendees then purchase new talismans to protect their households and careers. Visitors also buy omikuji, slips of paper containing detailed forecasts for areas such as romance and business. If a slip predicts misfortune, the recipient ties the paper strip to a tree on the grounds in hopes of averting bad luck.

Holiday customs and foods

The wider holiday period in Japan typically runs from late December through early January. Families use this time away from work to settle debts, clean their residences, exchange gifts, and visit relatives. On New Year's morning, household prayers precede the sharing of celebratory foods like osechi and zōni soup, alongside spiced toso sake. One variation of the shrine visit, known as ninenmairi, begins on New Year's Eve and extends past midnight into New Year's Day. Participants often write wishes onto wooden ema plaques and eat toshikoshi-soba noodles an hour before midnight.

Origins and major destinations

Although central to contemporary winter observances, the custom took its modern form relatively recently. Railway companies promoted the practice during the Meiji era to foster passenger travel over the holiday period. Today, prominent sites welcome millions of worshippers across the first three days of January. Sensoji temple in Tokyo ranks as the most popular destination. Other heavily visited locations include Meiji Jingu, Naritasan, Kawasaki Daishi, Fushimi Inari-taisha, Sumiyoshi Taisha, Atsuta Jingu, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Dazaifu Tenmangu, and Hikawa Shrine.

How Hatsumōde is kept

Worshippers travel to a shrine or temple during the first three days of January, or overnight starting on New Year's Eve. Attendees wait in lines, offer their new year prayers, and surrender old talismans for ritual cremation. They purchase fresh omamori charms and draw omikuji fortune slips. When an omikuji forecasts bad luck, the person fastens the paper to a tree on the grounds to ward off misfortune.

When and where

Hatsumōde takes place during the first three days of January, coinciding with the Japanese New Year holiday. Some worshippers begin their visit late on New Year's Eve and stay past midnight into New Year's Day.

The custom is observed throughout Japan at Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. Major destinations include Sensoji temple in Tokyo, Meiji Jingu, Naritasan, Kawasaki Daishi, Fushimi Inari-taisha, and Sumiyoshi Taisha, each drawing millions of worshippers.

What Hatsumōde means

The visit marks an opportunity for a clean start to the calendar year. By offering prayers, acquiring new omamori amulets, and discarding old charms, worshippers seek luck and protection for their family, romantic life, and business affairs in the year ahead.

On the table

• Toso
• Osechi
• Zōni
• Toshikoshi-soba

Questions people ask about Hatsumōde

See also

HalloweenAn annual observance on 31 October marking the eve of All Saints' Day, rooted in Christian tradition and Celtic heritageJiaoziCrescent Chinese dumplings filled with meat or vegetables, eaten for fortune and feastsNaengmyeonLong buckwheat noodles in icy broth, born in North Korea and eaten most in summerChildren's DayA Japanese holiday on May fifth celebrating the happiness and growth of children

Good reading and sources

• Hatsumōde on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.