Guide - Plan the trip
Japan New Year closures 2026-27: what shuts, what runs
Many sights, shops and restaurants close from 29 Dec to 4 Jan, 1 Jan most of all. Temples and shrines stay open. Several JR trains are all-reserved to 5 Jan.
Plan for a closure window from 29 Dec to 4 Jan. Many attractions, shops and restaurants close on some of those days, and 1 Jan is the hardest day. Museums, gardens and castles often close for several days in a row, while temples and shrines generally stay open. No national rule sets the dates, so each venue decides. On the rails, several JR trains are all-reserved from 25 Dec 2026 to 5 Jan 2027, and JR East runs winter extra trains from 1 Dec 2026 to 28 Feb 2027.
What are the key dates for 2026-27?
Four windows matter, and they overlap.
| Item | Dates | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Extra trains | 1 Dec 2026 to 28 Feb 2027 | JR East winter extra trains |
| Reserved trains | 25 Dec 2026 to 5 Jan 2027 | All-reserved JR services |
| Closures | 29 Dec to 4 Jan | Many sights, shops and restaurants |
| Yasaka Shrine | 31 Dec to 3 Jan | Okera-mairi, Okera festival, hatsu-noh |
What closes between 29 December and 4 January?
Closures depend on the type of place, per Kyoto City Tourism Association’s news page and a secondary travel guide.
| Place | Usual pattern |
|---|---|
| Shops, restaurants | Some close on some days between 29 Dec and 4 Jan; 1 Jan is the hardest |
| Attractions | Many close on some days in the same window |
| Museums, gardens, castles | Often closed for several days in a row |
| Temples, shrines | Generally open |
| Banks | Closure dates not found |
An example from Nagano: Matsumoto Castle, per its information page, is closed 29 to 31 Dec and open 10:00 to 15:30 on 1 to 3 Jan. The year of that notice is not recorded, so treat it as last known and check the castle’s page. Ask each shop and restaurant directly.
Before you go Check each venue’s own page for 2026-27 hours before you plan a day around it, and reserve seats for any long-distance train between 25 Dec 2026 and 5 Jan 2027.
Which JR trains are all-reserved?
Two sets of services are all-reserved over New Year, which means they have no unreserved seats and you need a reservation to ride:
- The Hida, Shinano and Nanki limited expresses are all-reserved from 25 Dec 2026 to 5 Jan 2027, per JR Central and JR East.
- The Sanyo Shinkansen Nozomi has an all-reserved period that includes 25 Dec 2026 to 5 Jan 2027, per JR West.
Other services may follow their own rules. Check the operator’s page for the train you plan to take.
What are the JR winter extra trains?
JR East’s winter extra trains run from 1 Dec 2026 to 28 Feb 2027, per its press release of 22 Oct 2026. The release also mentions overnight trains after the last train on 31 Dec on six Tokyo-area lines; the line list and hours are not confirmed. JR operations on 31 Dec and 1 Jan, including the Hokuriku Shinkansen, are not found, so check JR East’s page for those two days.
For the Hakuba bus, Alpico’s reserved buses ran daily from 29 Dec to 3 Jan in 2025-26. The 2026-27 dates are due around mid-November 2026: see Tokyo to Hakuba in winter.
What happens at Yasaka Shrine at New Year?
Yasaka Shrine’s grounds are open 24 hours for worship over New Year, and its office is open 09:00 to 17:00, per the shrine’s New Year page. The last known event dates are these:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 31 Dec | Okera-mairi, from about 19:30 |
| 1 Jan | Okera festival |
| 3 Jan | Hatsu-noh |
The 2027 specifics are unclear right now. An older notice, two to three years back, closed the grounds from 23:00 to 00:00 on 31 Dec. It may not repeat, so confirm the 2026-27 arrangement with the shrine office on 075-561-6155 (+81 75 561 6155 from abroad).
What about other Kyoto sights and Fushimi Inari?
Kyoto’s 2026-27 closure list is not found. The latest edition of Kyoto City Tourism Association’s PDF, Year-End and New Year Holidays Closure Dates in Kyoto, was created on 17 Dec 2025 and likely covers 2025-26; its text could not be read. The association’s news page of 25 Dec 2025 says many places in Kyoto close.
No 2027 hatsumode details are found for Fushimi Inari Taisha, so check its own page before you plan a first visit of the year there.
Bring cash for Kyoto: the association says many purchases and temple admission fees can only be paid in cash.
Where next?
Other planning pages are in the Plan hub, and the year’s rule changes are in What changed in 2026. Etiquette for a first-of-the-year visit is in Shrine and temple etiquette, and cash is covered in Cash, IC cards and eSIM.
Quick answers
Is Japan closed over New Year?
Partly. Many attractions, shops and restaurants close on some days between 29 Dec and 4 Jan, and 1 Jan is the hardest day. Museums, gardens and castles often close for several days. Temples and shrines generally stay open. No national rule sets the dates.
Are temples and shrines open on 1 January?
Generally yes. Yasaka Shrine's grounds are open 24 hours for worship. Fushimi Inari Taisha's 2027 New Year details are not found, so check its own page.
Do you need to reserve trains over New Year?
Yes, on the listed services. The Hida, Shinano and Nanki limited expresses are all-reserved from 25 Dec 2026 to 5 Jan 2027, and the Sanyo Shinkansen Nozomi has an all-reserved period that includes those dates.
What happens at Yasaka Shrine on New Year's Eve?
Okera-mairi starts from about 19:30 on 31 Dec, the Okera festival is on 1 Jan and hatsu-noh is on 3 Jan, per the shrine's New Year page. The 2027 specifics are unclear right now.
When do Kyoto sights close for New Year 2026-27?
The 2026-27 closure list was not found. The last known edition is Kyoto City Tourism Association's PDF created on 17 Dec 2025, which likely covers 2025-26; its text could not be read. Check each sight's own page.