Hatsumode (初詣, also spelled hatsumoude) is Japan's New Year shrine visit: the first visit of the year to a Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple, traditionally made on 1–3 January, which in 2027 runs from Friday to Sunday. It is the most widely shared ritual in the Japanese year and open to anyone, whatever their religion. The last official count, published by the National Police Agency for New Year 2009, recorded about 99 million visits over those three days; the agency has not published one since. This guide covers the 2027 timing, the full step-by-step etiquette, and where to go in Tokyo.
What Hatsumode Is and Why It Matters
Hatsumode (初詣) literally means "first shrine visit" — the first visit to a Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple of the new year, made to express gratitude for the year that ended and to pray for blessings in the year beginning. It's one of those Japanese practices that has simultaneously become highly secular (most participants don't think of themselves as practicing Shintoists) and retained genuine ritual seriousness — people queue for hours at major shrines in the cold without complaint, and the atmosphere at 2am on January 1 at a major shrine is unlike anything else in the Japanese calendar.
The first three days of January (三が日, sanganichi) are the traditional window. Going later is fine — some shrines and temples consider the window to extend until January 7 in the Kanto region, or January 15 in the Kansai region. But the atmosphere of the sanganichi is part of the experience. Many banks, offices and museums close over the same days — see what is open in Japan during New Year before you plan the rest of the day.
When is hatsumode in 2027?
The traditional window is Friday 1 to Sunday 3 January 2027, and because those three days include a weekend, major shrines are likely to be at their most crowded. Monday 4 January is the first working day, when office workers fill business-blessing shrines such as Kanda Myojin. On the night of Thursday 31 December, temples ring their bells 108 times (除夜の鐘, joya no kane) and many shrines stay open past midnight for the first prayer of the year.
| Date | Day | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Dec 2026 | Thursday | Temple bells at midnight; large crowds gather at major shrines before 00:00 |
| 1 Jan 2027 | Friday | Peak day; longest queues from midnight through the afternoon |
| 2–3 Jan 2027 | Sat–Sun | Still very busy because of the weekend; early mornings are easiest |
| 4 Jan 2027 | Monday | First working day; business shrines crowded, residential shrines quiet |
| Until 7 Jan (Kanto) / 15 Jan (Kansai) | — | Many shrines still treat visits as hatsumode |
Whether trains run all night on New Year's Eve is decided by each operator closer to the date, and banks, offices and many museums close over the same days. Check our guide to what is open in Japan during New Year before you plan the night.
The Full Sequence — Step by Step
This is the heart of the article. Hatsumode has a specific sequence, and following it correctly is what distinguishes genuine participation from tourist presence.
Step 1 — The torii gate
Stop before the torii gate. Bow once (一礼, ichirrei) — a light, respectful bow. The torii marks the boundary between the ordinary world and the sacred realm of the kami. The Tokyo Metropolitan Shrine Association describes this as approaching like you're visiting a respected person's home — that instinct is correct. After bowing, enter. Walk to the side of the sando (参道 — the path from the gate to the shrine), not the center. The center is the kami's path.
Step 2 — Temizusha (hand and mouth purification)
Before approaching the main hall, stop at the 手水舎 (temizusha/chozuya) — the stone basin with a dipper. The sequence, from the Jinja Honcho's official guidance: right hand holds the dipper, pour water over the left hand to clean it. Transfer the dipper to the left hand, pour water over the right. Transfer back to right hand, pour water into the cupped left palm and bring that to the mouth to rinse — never put the ladle directly to your mouth. Rinse the left hand once more. Return the ladle. Note: during COVID-era precautions, some shrines disabled the rinsing element; if the shrine is set up differently, follow their posted instructions.
Step 3 — Approaching the main hall
At the 拝殿 (haiden — the oratory, the hall where worshippers stand before the inner shrine): deposit your offering (賽銭, saisen) gently into the offering box — don't throw it forcefully. If there's a bell rope above the box, ring it gently with one or two shakes. The bell's sound purifies and calls the kami's attention.
Step 4 — The prayer sequence: 二礼二拍手一礼
This is the core ritual sequence. Bow deeply twice (二礼, ni-rei) — approximately 90 degrees, back flat. Then bring your hands to chest height and clap twice (二拍手, ni-hakushu) — importantly, the right hand slides slightly back, so the fingertips of the right hand are below those of the left. Hold them pressed together and make your prayer. Then bow deeply once more (一礼, ichi-rei). The right-hand offset isn't accidental: it signifies that humans and the divine are not yet fully unified — the human steps back a fraction in deference to the kami.
What to actually say in your prayer
The traditional form: state your name and address (or simply hold them clearly in mind), then offer thanks for the previous year before making any request — "昨年もありがとうございました" (thank you for last year). Then make your prayer, and Japanese convention strongly holds to making one specific wish rather than multiple requests. Gratitude first, single request second. The address-and-name element isn't required for foreigners, but the gratitude-before-request sequence is considered the correct approach.
Izumo Taisha and other exceptions
Most shrines use 二礼二拍手一礼. Izumo Taisha in Shimane (one of Japan's most important shrines) uses 二礼四拍手一礼 — four claps rather than two. Other shrines have their own specific traditions. At any major shrine, look for posted instructions or follow what you observe from experienced visitors rather than assuming the standard applies everywhere.
Saisen — The Offering
The coin offering (賽銭) deserves its own explanation, including the wordplay that governs which coins are considered lucky.
Coin offerings and their wordplay meanings
Japanese has a rich tradition of kigo (wordplay based on pronunciation). For saisen: ¥5 coins (五円, go-en) sound like ご縁 (go-en — good fortune, connection). This makes them the most popular saisen coin. ¥15 (十五円) sounds like 十分ご縁 (jūbun go-en — full fortune). ¥25 sounds like 二重ご縁 (nijū go-en — double fortune). Conversely, ¥10 (十円) sounds like 遠縁 (to-en — distant connection) — considered unlucky for an offering. There's no required amount. The thought and intention matter more than the quantity, and more money doesn't mean more blessing — that's explicitly acknowledged in Shinto practice.
Omikuji and Omamori — What They Are and What to Do With Them
Two of Hatsumode's most popular supplementary activities:
おみくじ (omikuji) are fortune slips — you draw one (usually ¥100-200) from a box by shaking it until a numbered stick falls out, then receive the corresponding slip. Results run from 大吉 (daikichi — great blessing) down through 吉, 中吉, 小吉, 末吉 to 凶 (kyo — misfortune) and occasionally worse. Bad results are traditionally tied to a pine branch or wire on the shrine grounds rather than taken home — the knot "binds" the bad fortune to the shrine rather than following you into the year.
お守り (omamori) are protective charms sold at the shrine's reception (社務所, shamusho) — traffic safety, academic success, health, romance, business. They're meant to be carried, placed in a bag, or kept in your car. They're renewed annually — last year's omamori should be returned to a shrine for ritual burning (お焚き上げ, otakiage) rather than just thrown away.
Shrine vs Temple — Does It Matter for Hatsumode?
Shinto shrines (神社 — identified by torii gates) and Buddhist temples (寺 — identified by sanmon gates and incense) are both valid for Hatsumode. Japan has a long history of religious syncretism, and visiting either (or both) in the New Year is considered appropriate. The prayer sequences differ slightly (temples use silent joined-hands prayer, 合掌, rather than the two-bow-two-clap-one-bow sequence), and temples often have large bells that visitors can ring at midnight on December 31 — 108 times, one for each of the 108 earthly desires in Buddhist teaching. Hatsumode opens Japan's ritual year, which continues a month later with Setsubun; the Japan festivals guide covers the rest of the calendar.
Choosing Where to Go
Meiji Jingu in Tokyo, Naritasan Shinshoji in Chiba, Kawasaki Daishi in Kanagawa and Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto have long been among the busiest. In the last police tally, for New Year 2009, each recorded between about 2.8 and 3.2 million visits over the three days, with Meiji Jingu highest. Treat those figures as an indication of scale rather than a current total. In practice, queues of one to three hours or more are common at peak times. Going on 2 or 3 January rather than 1 January, or early in the morning, cuts the wait considerably.
A smaller, local neighborhood shrine on January 2 with no queue — where the atmosphere is quiet, the priest may have time to speak, and you're clearly welcomed as a genuine visitor rather than just another body in the crowd — is often the better experience, particularly for first-timers.
Best places for hatsumode in Tokyo
For a first New Year shrine visit in Tokyo, choose by the atmosphere you want rather than by fame alone. The best-known sites are spectacular but crowded; a smaller shrine gives you time to follow each step properly.
| Place | Type and area | Why go | Crowd level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meiji Jingu | Shrine, Harajuku/Yoyogi | Tokyo's most famous New Year visit, in a forested setting | Very high on 1–3 Jan |
| Senso-ji | Temple, Asakusa | Nakamise shopping street and a lively festival feel | Very high |
| Kanda Myojin | Shrine, Ochanomizu/Akihabara | Prayers for business; busiest on the first working day | High, peaking 4 Jan |
| Zojo-ji | Temple, Shiba | New Year visit with Tokyo Tower behind the main hall | Moderate to high |
| Nezu Shrine | Shrine, Bunkyo | Historic buildings and a calmer residential setting | Moderate |
| Your local shrine | Any neighbourhood | No queue, time to follow each step, a genuinely local experience | Low |
Crowd levels describe the first three days and change year to year; check each shrine's own New Year notice for opening hours, which are usually published in December. If you are planning a wider trip around New Year, the Japan crowd map shows the busiest weeks.
Frequently asked questions
When is hatsumode in 2027?
The traditional window is the first three days of January (sanganichi): Friday 1 to Sunday 3 January 2027. Because all three days fall on or around the weekend, expect the busiest crowds of recent years at major shrines. Many people visit later in the first week, and some shrines treat the season as running to 7 January in the Kanto region or 15 January in Kansai.
Can foreigners do hatsumode?
Yes. A New Year shrine visit is open to everyone regardless of nationality or religion, and shrines and temples welcome visitors who follow the basic etiquette: bow at the gate, purify at the water basin, offer a coin, then bow twice, clap twice and bow once at a shrine. At a Buddhist temple, join your hands quietly instead of clapping.
Is hatsumoude the same as hatsumode?
Yes. Hatsumoude, hatsumōde and hatsumode are three romanisations of the same word, 初詣 (はつもうで), the first shrine or temple visit of the new year. The long "ō" sound is written as "ou", "ō" or simply "o" depending on the system, so all three spellings refer to the same New Year custom.
How much money should I offer at hatsumode?
There is no required amount. A ¥5 coin is the most popular offering because "go-en" (five yen) sounds like ご縁, good fortune or connection; ¥15 and ¥25 extend the same wordplay. ¥10 is often avoided because "tōen" can be read as a distant connection. The offering expresses gratitude; a larger amount does not buy a better blessing.
Do I have to visit on 1 January?
No. 1 January has the strongest atmosphere, especially just after midnight, but it also has the longest queues. Visiting on 2 or 3 January, or early in the morning, is far easier at major shrines, and a quiet neighbourhood shrine at any time in the first week is a perfectly proper hatsumode.
Official Sources
This article references the following primary sources. Rules and figures change periodically — always verify current requirements directly before making decisions.