What New Year Does Japan Celebrate

Until 1872 japan used to celebrate its new year according to the lunar or lunisolar calendar.

What new year does japan celebrate. Japanese new year celebrations are quite different from typical. It s a great time to visit the country. While it s customary to party on new year s day in many countries in the west the event has more significance in japan.

New year 正月 shōgatsu is the most important holiday in japan. Japan adopted the lunisolar calendar in the sixth century when it celebrated new year with all its neighboring regions accordingly to this. We ll share how japanese people celebrate the new year with unique japanese new year activities culture and traditions.

If you re visiting japan during the new year congratulations. That s because christmas here is like halloween just another fun holiday without much traditional or cultural let alone religious significance the traditional winter holiday for the japanese is oshogatsu literally first month or new year. Unlike the chinese and the rest of asia japan does not celebrate the lunar new year.

The japanese new year 正月 shōgatsu is an annual festival with its own customs. Japan used to celebrate the lunar new year a visit to a local temple on new year s day. This new year celebration is based on the gregorian calendar but this was not before 1873.

Prior to that japan shared its new year s day with china korea and. Japan celebrates new year every year on 1 january with great fanfare. In fact chinese new year is known as 旧正月 or old former new year.

In japan after the 25th of december it s as if christmas never happened. Years are traditionally viewed as completely separate with each new year providing a fresh start. If you are in japan for the new year you might be surprised that instead of a big party new year s eve in japan is a quiet evening spent with one s family.