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Somewhere between 90 and 100 million people in Japan make a New Year’s shrine visit every single year — roughly three-quarters of the entire population, all doing the same thing within about the same 72-hour window. It’s called hatsumode (初詣), the first shrine or temple visit of the year, and it’s less a religious obligation than a genuine national ritual: you go, you toss a coin, you make a wish for the year ahead, and you buy a fortune slip to see how it’s going to go.
If you’re in Japan for New Year’s, this is one of the most accessible ways to actually participate in something the whole country is doing at once, rather than just watching it from the outside. We picked five of the country’s most-visited shrines and temples, plus real, currently-operating places to stay near each one.
⛩️ Japan’s Hatsumode Guide: Travel Rules & Local Tips
The heaviest crowds hit in a very specific window: midnight to around 3 AM on January 1st (when people arrive straight from New Year’s Eve), and then again late morning through early afternoon on January 1st, 2nd, and 3rd — the period known as sanganichi (三が日), the “three days” when most people fit their visit in. If you want the spectacle, go for the midnight crowd. If you want to actually move through the shrine grounds at a normal pace, aim for early morning (before 8 AM) or evening (after 8 PM) on January 2nd or 3rd instead.
Bring coins for the offering box — a 5-yen coin (go-en) is the traditional choice, since “go-en” is a pun on the word for “good fortune” or “connection.” The basic sequence is: bow twice, clap twice, make your wish, bow once more (this is the standard at shrines; temples follow a quieter, palms-together bow instead of clapping). And budget real time for transport: several of the shrines on this list run temporary train schedules, shuttle buses, or road closures during the three-day period, so check each site’s own New Year transit notice closer to the date rather than assuming normal timetables apply.
5 of Japan’s Most-Visited Hatsumode Spots
Meiji Jingu (明治神宮), Tokyo
Japan’s single most-visited hatsumode destination, pulling in over 3 million people across the three-day period — and it does it while sitting inside a genuinely dense forest of over 100,000 trees donated from across the country when the shrine was built in 1920, dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Walking the gravel approach under towering torii gates, with Shibuya’s skyscrapers just a few minutes’ walk away in the other direction, is a real study in contrast that makes this an easy first hatsumode for a visitor who wants the classic experience without traveling far from central Tokyo.
Honest note: “most-visited” means exactly what it sounds like — expect real crowd density and slow-moving lines especially right around midnight on January 1st, and know that vehicle access around Harajuku and Yoyogi stations gets closed off for the three-day period.
📍 Address: 1-1 Yoyogikamizonocho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (東京都渋谷区代々木神園町1-1)
⏰ Hours: Open through the night Dec 31–Jan 3; exact New Year’s hours are published on the shrine’s official site each December — check before you go
💰 Budget: Free to enter and pray; omikuji fortune slips and charms typically run ¥500–¥1,000
Naritasan Shinshoji (成田山新勝寺), Chiba
Consistently one of the two or three most-visited hatsumode sites in the country, and one with a genuinely good reason to linger afterward: the temple’s approach road is nicknamed “Unagi Kaido” (Eel Street), lined with old eel restaurants that have been feeding pilgrims since the Edo period, when eel was served as a strength-building meal for the journey. The temple itself, founded in 940, is dedicated to Fudo Myoo, a fierce-looking guardian deity associated with protection and traffic safety — which is why you’ll often see people here specifically praying over a new car.
Honest note: peak crowding hits between 11 AM and 1 PM on the big days, and January traffic restrictions kick in around Narita Station — if you’re also flying out of Narita Airport nearby, build in real buffer time.
📍 Address: 1 Narita, Narita, Chiba (千葉県成田市成田1)
⏰ Hours: Open through the night Dec 31–Jan 3; check the temple’s official site for exact New Year hours
💰 Budget: Free to enter and pray; a full unagi lunch on the approach road runs roughly ¥2,500–¥5,000
Fushimi Inari Taisha (伏見稲荷大社), Kyoto
Kansai’s biggest hatsumode draw and, thanks to its thousands of vermilion torii gates climbing the mountainside, one of the most photographed shrines in the country any day of the year. What makes New Year’s here different is that the fox statues and gate tunnels — normally a daytime tourist scene — become a genuinely local, late-night affair, with the shrine’s amulet counters staying open until 9 PM during the three-day period and food stalls selling fried sparrow skewers and inari-zushi (fried tofu pouches stuffed with rice, a direct nod to the fox messengers the shrine is dedicated to).
Honest note: if you want a quieter walk through the famous gate tunnels rather than a shuffle, go either 3–6 AM on January 1st or early morning/evening on the 2nd and 3rd — midday on any of the three days is genuinely packed.
📍 Address: 68 Fukakusa Yabunouchicho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto (京都府京都市伏見区深草藪之内町68)
⏰ Hours: Grounds open 24 hours year-round; amulet counters extend to around 9 PM during the three-day New Year period
💰 Budget: Free to enter and pray; food stalls run roughly ¥300–¥800 per item
Sumiyoshi Taisha (住吉大社), Osaka
Osaka’s biggest New Year’s draw, pulling in around 2 million visitors over the three days, and the head shrine of some 2,300 Sumiyoshi shrines nationwide. The signature sight here is the “Sorihashi” — a steeply arched vermilion bridge over the shrine’s pond, at close to a 48-degree incline, that pilgrims cross deliberately on the way in because doing so is believed to purify you before you reach the four National Treasure main halls beyond it. Novelist Yasunari Kawabata wrote a whole short story named after this bridge, which tells you how much of a local icon it is.
Honest note: the bridge itself is genuinely steep and can be slippery underfoot in a crowd — there’s a flatter stone bridge alongside it if the arch feels risky, and the main approach from Sumiyoshi-taisha Station backs up fast once the crowds build.
📍 Address: 2-9-89 Sumiyoshi, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka (大阪府大阪市住吉区住吉2-9-89)
⏰ Hours: Open through the night Dec 31–Jan 3; check the shrine’s official site for exact New Year hours
💰 Budget: Free to enter and pray; omikuji and charms typically run ¥300–¥800
Dazaifu Tenmangu (太宰府天満宮), Fukuoka
Kyushu’s top hatsumode destination and the head shrine of roughly 12,000 Tenmangu shrines across Japan, all dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, a 9th-century scholar deified as the god of learning after his death. That makes this the specific shrine students and their families travel to for exam success prayers, and the New Year period doubles as an early rush of that same crowd. The 30-plus shops lining the approach sell umegae-mochi — a grilled rice cake stamped with a plum blossom, the shrine’s symbol, and named for a legend about an old woman who fed the exiled Michizane a rice cake on a plum branch when he had nothing else to eat.
Honest note: the approach genuinely fills shoulder to shoulder during the three-day period since it’s a single narrow shopping street rather than an open plaza — go earlier in the day if you want to actually browse rather than just flow with the crowd.
📍 Address: 4-7-1 Saifu, Dazaifu, Fukuoka (福岡県太宰府市宰府4丁目7番1号)
⏰ Hours: Open through the night Dec 31–Jan 3; check the shrine’s official site for exact New Year hours
💰 Budget: Free to enter and pray; umegae-mochi runs about ¥150–¥170 per piece
Where to Stay for Hatsumode
Two real, currently-operating places to sleep near each shrine above — one a splurge, one easier on the wallet. All checked and booked through Booking.com below.
Near Meiji Jingu
Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu
Directly connected to Shibuya Station, overlooking the famous scramble crossing, with Meiji Jingu and Yoyogi Park about a 15-minute walk away. Two high-floor restaurants and genuinely central access to everywhere else in Tokyo make this a comfortable base for a New Year’s trip that isn’t just about the shrine visit.
Honest note: Shibuya itself gets loud and crowded on New Year’s Eve with its own countdown scene, so if you want quiet on the night before your shrine visit, this puts you right in the middle of a second, unrelated celebration.
📍 Address: 1-12-2 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (東京都渋谷区道玄坂1-12-2)
⏰ Check-in: 2:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM
💰 Budget: Roughly ¥20,000–¥40,000 per night for two (New Year’s rates run higher than average)
Dormy Inn Premium Shibuya-Jingumae
A 5-minute walk from Meiji-jingumae Station and closer on foot to the shrine than most Shibuya options, with a genuine natural hot spring bath on site — a nice way to warm up after a cold midnight shrine visit. The free late-night ramen and post-bath ice pops are small touches that regulars specifically call out, and it sits on a quieter side street off the main Shibuya drag.
Honest note: rooms are compact, standard for this hotel chain’s city properties — you’re paying for the bath and location, not square footage.
📍 Address: 6-24-4 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (東京都渋谷区神宮前6-24-4)
⏰ Check-in: 3:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM
💰 Budget: Roughly ¥14,000–¥28,000 per night for two (New Year’s rates run higher than average)
Near Naritasan Shinshoji
Richmond Hotel Narita
A 3-minute walk from Keisei Narita Station and about a 15-minute walk to Naritasan itself, with a breakfast buffet that leans into local Chiba ingredients, including Naritasan’s own pickle recipe. It’s also a straightforward 10 minutes to Narita Airport by train, which makes this a genuinely dual-purpose stay if you’re flying in or out around the New Year period.
Honest note: the shrine walk is doable but not trivial with luggage — most guests either travel light or take a short taxi if they’re carrying suitcases to and from the temple.
📍 Address: 970 Hanasakicho, Narita, Chiba (千葉県成田市花崎町970)
⏰ Check-in: Standard hotel check-in, free airport shuttle available
💰 Budget: Roughly ¥12,000–¥24,000 per night for two (New Year’s rates run higher than average)
The Hedistar Hotel Narita (formerly Narita Kikusui)
About a 10-minute walk from Naritasan itself, closer to the temple than most Narita hotels, with a free shuttle bus to and from the airport and a buffet breakfast. This property has changed names over the years (you may still see it referenced as “Narita Kikusui” on some booking platforms) but it’s the same building and location.
Honest note: it’s an older property that’s had mixed reviews on room freshness in the past — reasonable for the price and location, but don’t expect a design hotel.
📍 Address: 168-1 Azumacho, Narita, Chiba (千葉県成田市東町168-1)
⏰ Check-in: Standard hotel check-in, free airport shuttle available
💰 Budget: Roughly ¥8,000–¥16,000 per night for two (New Year’s rates run higher than average)
Near Fushimi Inari Taisha
Inari Ohan (稲荷凰庵)
A genuinely beautiful renovated kyo-machiya (traditional Kyoto townhouse) just 9 minutes on foot from Fushimi Inari, with a small private garden, its own kitchenette, and a design that keeps the old wooden-house atmosphere without sacrificing modern comfort. Guests consistently mention how close it puts you to the shrine — close enough to walk over for a late-night or early-morning visit without any transit involved.
Honest note: it’s a self-check-in vacation home with no front desk or staff on site, and at least one guest noted the property can be genuinely cold on arrival in winter before the heating catches up — worth planning for if you’re checking in on a cold December evening.
📍 Address: 22-3 Fukakusa Inaritoriimaecho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto (京都府京都市伏見区深草稲荷鳥居前町22-3)
⏰ Check-in: Self check-in, confirm exact window with host after booking
💰 Budget: Roughly ¥25,000–¥45,000 per night for the whole house (New Year’s rates run higher than average)
Urban Hotel Kyoto
A straightforward business hotel about a 10-12 minute walk from Fushimi Inari and a 5-minute walk from Fukakusa Station on the Keihan line, fully non-smoking with renovated rooms and on-site parking if you’re driving in. It’s a practical, no-frills base for anyone prioritizing proximity to the shrine over polish.
Honest note: reviews are mixed on overall comfort compared to newer Kyoto hotels — it’s a functional stay chosen for location and price, not atmosphere.
📍 Address: Fukakusa Nishiuracho 4-chome 59, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto (京都府京都市伏見区深草西浦町4丁目59)
⏰ Check-in: Standard hotel check-in
💰 Budget: Roughly ¥9,000–¥18,000 per night for two (New Year’s rates run higher than average)
Near Sumiyoshi Taisha
Miyako City Osaka Tennoji
Directly connected to Tennoji Station (both JR and Kintetsu), with Sumiyoshi Taisha about a 15-minute train ride away — this is the pick if you want a genuinely central Osaka base rather than staying right next to the shrine itself, since Sumiyoshi’s immediate surroundings are more residential than hotel-dense. A top-floor buffet restaurant with city views and easy onward access to Namba, Osaka Castle, and Kansai Airport round it out.
Honest note: the building shows its age in places despite being well-kept — expect a slightly dated but clean and comfortable stay rather than a sleek new-build feel.
📍 Address: 1-2-8 Matsuzakicho, Abeno-ku, Osaka (大阪府大阪市阿倍野区松崎町1-2-8)
⏰ Check-in: Standard hotel check-in
💰 Budget: Roughly ¥16,000–¥32,000 per night for two (New Year’s rates run higher than average)
Hotel Trusty Osaka Abeno
A 2-minute walk from Tennojiekimae Station and 5 minutes from Tennoji Station itself, right next to Abeno Harukas and an easy walk to the retro Shinsekai district — a genuinely well-located, mid-range option that reviewers consistently praise for room size relative to price. Sumiyoshi Taisha is a short tram or train connection away via the Hankai Line or Nankai Main Line.
Honest note: like most hotels in this price bracket, don’t expect a washing machine or extensive room amenities — it’s a clean, well-priced base rather than a full-service resort.
📍 Address: 1-5-10-300 Abenosuji, Abeno-ku, Osaka (大阪府大阪市阿倍野区阿倍野筋1-5-10-300)
⏰ Check-in: Standard hotel check-in
💰 Budget: Roughly ¥10,000–¥20,000 per night for two (New Year’s rates run higher than average)
Near Dazaifu Tenmangu
Hotel Cultia Dazaifu
A genuinely special splurge: a small, 4-building hotel built from restored Edo- and Meiji-era buildings scattered through Dazaifu’s old town, just a 1-2 minute walk from the shrine itself. Rooms mix traditional architecture (exposed beams, shoji screens, private gardens) with modern comfort, and staying here includes a rare perk — special access to pray at the shrine after normal closing hours.
Honest note: it’s a genuine luxury property with a matching price tag and only a handful of rooms across its buildings, so it books out well in advance for the New Year period — this isn’t a last-minute booking.
📍 Address: 3-3-33 Saifu, Dazaifu, Fukuoka (福岡県太宰府市宰府3-3-33)
⏰ Check-in: Limited front desk hours; confirm arrival time with the property in advance
💰 Budget: Roughly ¥50,000–¥90,000+ per night for two (New Year’s rates run higher than average)
Route-Inn Grantia Dazaifu
A budget-friendly onsen hotel about a 17-minute walk (or 5-minute drive) from the shrine, with a genuine natural hot spring bath, sauna, and a free shuttle service running from Dazaifu Station through the afternoon and evening. It’s a solid pick if a soak after a day of shrine crowds matters more to you than being able to walk to the torii gate.
Honest note: guests must check in by 9 PM to be served dinner, and the shuttle only runs 9:35 AM to 6:35 PM — arrive later than that and you’re on your own for the last stretch, so plan your travel time accordingly.
📍 Address: Dazaifu, Fukuoka (福岡県太宰府市)
⏰ Check-in: 2:00 PM–12:00 AM (must check in by 9:00 PM for dinner service), checkout 10:00 AM
💰 Budget: Roughly ¥13,000–¥25,000 per night for two (New Year’s rates run higher than average)
Practical Travel Tips
Book accommodation early. The three days around New Year’s are one of the busiest domestic travel periods in Japan — hotels near major shrines fill up and prices climb well before December. If any of these five shrines are on your list, lock in a room as soon as your dates are set.
Pick one shrine, not a marathon. These five spots are spread across four different regions. Trying to hit more than one in the same three-day window means fighting both crowds and holiday transit schedules at the same time — build your trip around whichever region you’re already visiting.
Many shops and restaurants close for part of the New Year period. Outside the shrine’s own approach road, expect some ordinary restaurants, shops, and even train station services to run reduced hours or close entirely from January 1st to 3rd — plan meals around the shrine’s own food stalls or check ahead for anywhere specific you want to eat.
Dress for standing outside for a long stretch. Whichever time slot you pick, you’ll likely be queuing outdoors in winter temperatures. Layer up, and bring hand warmers (kairo) — they’re sold everywhere in Japan this time of year for exactly this reason.
Before you go: three things worth sorting before you fly
None of this is glamorous. All of it is cheaper, or simply less stressful, arranged from home than worked out standing in a Japanese station with a queue behind you.
Tours, tickets and day passes across Japan
Timed-entry tickets and guided day trips. Over New Year the good slots and hotel rooms go weeks, sometimes months, ahead.
Rail passes and shinkansen tickets
A JR Pass only pays for itself over long distances. Price your actual route first — New Year’s trains also run holiday timetables, so double-check schedules regardless of which pass you use.
A Japan eSIM
Free Wi-Fi is patchy and many shrines’ surrounding streets are packed enough that carrier signal can bog down. Install it before you fly; it activates when you land.
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Researched and reviewed by the Biteway Japan editorial team. How we research →