Hatsumōde – Welcoming the New Year at Japan's Most Sacred Snow-Dusted Shrines

The best shrines and temples for Hatsumōde

⛩️ Meiji Jingū (Tokyo) — Japan's busiest New Year pilgrimage

The Meiji Shrine in Shibuya draws roughly 3 million visitors in the first three days of January alone. Crowds aside, the setting is stunning: a vast forested precinct, a towering wooden torii gate, and a procession of worshippers stretching all the way to the main hall. Peak wait times on January 1st can run two to three hours.

Pro tip: Enter via the Harajuku gate rather than the Yoyogi gate — it's consistently less congested.

⛩️ Fushimi Inari Taisha (Kyoto) — a thousand crimson gates in the morning mist

If you're in the Kansai region for the holidays, this is the top pick. Thousands of vermillion torii gates wind up Mount Inari, and on the misty mornings of January 2nd and 3rd, the effect is otherworldly. Fushimi Inari is dedicated to the deity of rice and commerce — which is why it draws so many people praying for a prosperous year.

⛩️ Sensō-ji (Asakusa, Tokyo) — Tokyo's oldest temple

Unlike Meiji (a Shinto shrine), Sensō-ji is a Buddhist temple, and the New Year energy around Asakusa is pure festival magic. The Nakamise-dōri shopping street is strung with red lanterns, and the stalls selling amazake (warm sweet rice drink), taiyaki (fish-shaped pastries), and grilled dango skewers make wandering the neighbourhood half the fun.

❄️ Hokkaido Jingū (Sapporo) — Hatsumōde in the snow

If there's one Hatsumōde setting that looks ripped straight from a woodblock print, it's this one. The entire shrine complex is blanketed in thick snow, bare trees glow white, your breath fogs in front of you, and visitors in heavy winter kimono pick their way carefully along the paths. Temperatures hover between 14°F and 23°F (-10°C to -5°C), but every shivering second is worth it.

Other snow-covered shrines worth considering: Togakushi Jinja (Nagano), Yamadera (Yamagata), Dewa Sanzan (Yamagata).

How to do Hatsumōde properly — the etiquette, step by step

This is the part that trips up most first-time visitors. Here's the standard process at a Shinto shrine:

1. Bow slightly as you pass through the torii gate — a gesture of respect to the enshrined deity
2. Walk to the side of the main path, not down the centre (the centre is reserved for the gods)
3. Purify your hands at the chōzuya (the stone water basin): pour over your left hand first, then your right, then rinse your mouth by pouring water into your cupped left hand — don't put your lips to the ladle
4. At the main hall, toss a coin into the offering box — a ¥5 coin (~3 cents) is traditional because go-en sounds like the Japanese word for "good fortune"
5. Ring the bell (if there is one), then bow twice — clap twice — pray — bow once (二拝二拍手一拝)

At a Buddhist temple, skip the clapping — simply press your palms together and bow in quiet prayer.

What to buy at the shrine

• Omamori (お守り): Good-luck charms for health, travel, love, or academic success — roughly $3–$10
• Omikuji (おみくじ): Fortune slips drawn at random, $1–$2. If you pull a bad fortune, tie it to the designated bamboo rack inside the shrine grounds to leave the bad luck behind
• Ema (絵馬): Wooden wishing plaques you write on and hang at the shrine — $3–$7
• Hamaya (破魔矢): A ceremonial arrow said to ward off evil spirits, sold almost exclusively at New Year — $7–$20

One important note: omamori should be renewed annually. Don't throw old charms in the bin — shrines have designated areas (called otakiage) where you can return them to be ceremonially burned.

What to eat around the shrine

Honestly, this might be the best part. The major shrines are flanked by rows of yatai (street stalls) serving exactly what you want when it's freezing outside:

• Amazake — warm, sweet, alcohol-free rice drink, ~$2
• Taiyaki — fish-shaped pastry filled with red bean paste, ~$1.50
• Yakitori — grilled chicken skewers, $1–$2 each
• Ikayaki — soy-glazed grilled squid, ~$3–$5
• Shiruko — hot red bean soup with mochi rice cakes, ~$3

Standing outside in the cold with a steaming cup of amazake in your hands, shrine bells echoing in the distance — that's what New Year's in Japan actually tastes like.

Practical tips for first-time visitors

• 🧥 Layer up seriously: Tokyo and Kyoto hover around 32–41°F (0–5°C); Tohoku and Hokkaido go well below freezing. Thermal base layers, a proper winter coat, a scarf, and gloves are non-negotiable
• 👟 Wear grippy shoes: Especially at snow-covered shrines — stone pathways get extremely slippery
• 💴 Bring cash, especially coins: Most offering boxes and omamori stalls are cash-only; your contactless card won't help you here
• 🚇 Take the train: The major shrines restrict or ban private vehicles over the New Year period, and parking near them is a nightmare. For more remote shrines, consider renting a car through OlaChill for flexibility
• 📱 Get a data SIM or eSIM: You'll need it for train times, Google Maps, and translating signage — some ticket windows reduce hours over the holiday
• ⏰ Go early or go late: Avoid the 10 a.m.–3 p.m. window on January 1st–3rd unless a two-hour queue sounds like fun
• 🤫 Keep it quiet near the main hall: No loud conversations, no flash photography in restricted areas — read the signs and follow the locals' lead

Final thought

Hatsumōde isn't just "visiting a temple on New Year's." It's a window into a side of Japan you rarely see — contemplative, orderly, and genuinely moving. If your itinerary lands over the New Year holiday, don't spend all of it in Shibuya or Shinjuku. Set an early alarm, bundle up, and walk through your first torii gate of the year. You'll remember it long after the jet lag wears off.