A post-pandemic selection of ten New Year Countdown Events in Tokyo, Japan.
New Year Countdown
Since around 2014 Japan, and in particular Tokyo, had become a very popular place to visit over the New Year. Despite that when I very first wrote this post, there was very little New Year count down event information available in English online. There were no “round ups” and just a few random blog posts about one or two locations with a countdown event, or Facebook posts with people’s photos of their New Year celebrations. So in 2015 I tried to bridge that gap by sharing information of events I knew of in the Greater Tokyo area and over the years I added and subtracted to the list as the need arose. However, as I have personally NOT been to most of these events, I do recommend you research further before choosing which event to go to.
Shibuya Crossing is a NO GO!
Regarding Shibuya Crossing, the event has been cancelled since the pandemic began. Although, this New Year is more like a normal New Year in terms of travel and ease of restrictions, the Shibuya crossing event has been officially cancelled. Some say its due to the pandemic, others say its after the horrific tragedy in Itaewon. The official line: well it goes out of its way to be as vague as possible, citing ‘various reasons’ without elaboration. HOWEVER, there is a large scale New Year event in Shibuya this year “Shibuya Countdown Night Fes” detailed below.
Ageha is no longer with us!
Another countdown that will be sorely missed this year is the countdown event in Ageha. Yes, unfortunately it is true – Ageha closed permanently during the pandemic, in January 2022. They had their ‘final countdown’ on December 31st 2022. It was one of only three events (on this list) that went ahead in 2022/2023.
Count down to 2025
A much shorter list than pre-pandemic, but more than last year!
- Countdown Night Fes – the largest countdown event in Japan
- Womb presents New Year Countdown to 2024
- Ruby Room New Year Count down to 2024
- Happy New Year Tokyo Countdown
- Raise
- Hanayashiki Amusement Park
- Tokyo Bay Countdown Cruise
- The Public Stand
- Or Countdown to 2024
- Liquidroom New Year Party 2024
>>2024 is the year of the dragon. Check out this temple with 5000 dragons in Saitama, beside Tokyo.
🎍1. SHIBUYA, Shibuya Countdown Night Fes 2024 – 2025
New to the list since 2022 “Shibuya Countdown Night Fes” claim to be the largest Countdown event in Japan! So for those looking for a large scale New Year Count down event, this maybe of interest! After securing a participation wristband at LUXURY BAR＆CAFE MILAS SHIBUYA you can freely enter and / or leave any of the participating bars and clubs. Or you can buy a ticket online for 3000 yen, which includes 3 drinks and is a 1000 yen cheaper than purchasing on the day. Tickets already on sale.
🎍2. SHIBUYA, Womb presents New Year Countdown to 2025
Womb in Shibuya, as one of the most popular and famous countdown events in Japan, was another of only three countdown events that went ahead on New Years eve 2021. For the countdown to 2025 they will have the visionary German DJ Sven Vath headlining the show. It is cheapest to buy a ticket in advance, and they are already on sale. Moreover, if the advance tickets sell out there will be no tickets at the door until after 1 am on the 1st.
Official English event web page, with link to purchase an advance ticket.
🎍3. SHIBUYA, Ruby Room New Year Count down to 2025
Another countdown event in Shibuya confirmed for New Year’s eve, December 31st 2024 is the Ruby Room. A fifteen hour session of live music at the very affordable and reasonable price of only 2000 yen per person. The music venue opens at 6 pm and closes at 9 am.
🎍4. SHINJUKU, Happy New Year Tokyo Countdown
As part of the Tokyo Tokyo project, the Tokyo Metropolitan have been running several events to showcase the diverse charms of Tokyo. This event featured on this list last year too, but last year it was quite different, with an earlier count down. This year it doesn’t start until 10 pm. They will have a live DJ and various performances. However, this year you need to apply in advance to participate.
🎍5. GINZA, New Years Eve Countdown party at RAISE!
Unfortunately, there is no event post for the count down to 2025, only a short announcement on their website that they will have a countdown event this year too. They will open from 8 pm to 4.30 am. The price has come down this year – 5000 yen for men and 2000 yen for women and that includes two drinks to be there at midnight. If you plan to leave before midnight its even cheaper!
🎍6. ASAKUSA, Countdown event in Hanayashiki Amusement Park.
This is probably the best known countdown event in the Tokyo area. The park, Japan’s oldest amusement park, opens especially for New Years. You can use the amusement rides and they have special guests on the night who perform on stage in the lead up to the countdown. You can purchase tickets at the gate, but they are subject to availability, so it is better to buy them online in advance. The countdown event is on, weather permitting, from 8 pm to 1 am. Tickets are on sale now and you can pick them up via the official website:
Hanayashiki Countdown official event page
🎍7. TOKYO BAY, Countdown Cruise
For adults, there are two different cruises you can enjoy on New Year’s eve in Tokyo Bay. Both provide a meal, a glass of champagne plus another free drink and live music. The buffet course cruise costs 20,000 yen per person and the Classic cruise costs 24,000 yen. They both leave the dock at around 10.40 pm and arrive back at around 1.10 am. They also have a ‘first sunrise’ cruise that departs at 5.50 am to see ‘hatsuhinode‘, the first sunrise of the year.
General information in English | Countdown Cruise web page (Japanese language)
🎍8. IKEBUKURO, The Public Stand
All 13 branches of the chain bar Public Stand are open on New Years Eve from 6 pm to 5 am. But the branch in Ikebukuro have a countdown event with a special cheers and bingo! The bar is near the West exit of JR Ikebukuro station. Book in advance to avoid disappointment.
🎍9. SHIBUYA, Or Countdown to 2025
This one is like three clubs in one – three floors each offering a different genre of music. Or Miyashita park in Shibuya knows how to put on a party and with more than a dozen DJs covering music tastes of almost every kind, this party draws people from near and far. To ensure you are among the New Year welcoming crowd, its advised to buy your ticket in advance. Moreover, it is 500 yen cheaper than buying a ticket at the door, which cost 3500 yen.
🎍10. SHIBUYA, Liquidroom New Year Party 2025
Liquidroom is a well established, popular music venue known for its sound capabilities and hosting touring bands and DJs. On New Year’s eve more than a dozen DJs perform. The tickets for the New Year event sell out quickly and you need to get a ticket in advance to attend. They go on sale on tomorrow, November 16th 2024. You must be over 20 years of age to attend this event, which is true of most of the locations on this list.
This is just some of the countdown to 2025 events on in Tokyo. There are also countdown events in neighboring prefectures, including the very large and well known countdown Japan in Makuhari Messe in Chiba. Moreover, there are other types of New Year events you can enjoy, too. For example, there is the Japan only tradition of watching the first sunrise. Here are some of the places you can watch the first sunrise in Tokyo (and Saitama and Chiba). In addition, another Japan only event of buying Daruma.
A lot of Japanese people go to a shrine or temple to welcome the New Year in a practise known as Hatsumode. My pick for Hatsumode in the Greater Tokyo area is the Yakuouin Temple on Mt Takao. However, do note it is cold, dark and crowded. So why do people go? Three very big reasons; the first sunrise AND the first glimpse of Mt Fuji and age old New Year traditional ceremonies. Mt Takao cable car runs from 8 am on New Years Eve right through to 6 pm on New Year’s Day especially for the occasion.
Editor’s note: 2015/20171216. For ease of reading, I have removed the locations (that were always on this list before the pandemic) that are not on since it started, not even in 2024. I will re-add them, if / when they reintroduce a countdown event.
wow! Very comprehensive! Have a wonderful holiday period!
Hi Andy, thanks a million. I hope some people find it of use and can find a suitable New Year Countdown event near them.
I hope you have a very merry holiday period too. 🙂 Yoroshiku for 2018 too! xx