What is open in Japan during New Year 2026–27 depends on the service, not one national closure notice. Plan on government counters closing from 29 December to 3 January and bank offices closing from 31 December to 3 January. Shops, restaurants, museums, ATMs and trains set their own schedules. As of 2 October 2026, the detailed 2026–27 ATM and New Year's Eve overnight-train notices were not yet published by the operators checked, so reserve cash and a last-train fallback before travelling.
What is open in Japan during New Year: 29 December to 3 January
Japan's お正月 (oshōgatsu, New Year) travel period is often described as 29 December through 3 January. That is a planning window, not an automatic closure for every business. Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) warns that many businesses close for several days and domestic travel grows busy. The Bank of Japan has already published its 2026 and 2027 holiday calendar, but a restaurant's opening hours or a train's overnight timetable requires its own current notice.
| Service | 29–30 Dec 2026 | 31 Dec–3 Jan | What to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government counters | Ordinarily closed for year-end break | Ordinarily closed | Your city or office's exceptional desk |
| Bank branches | Check each bank's hours | Bank of Japan office holiday 31 Dec–3 Jan; ordinary banks generally close counters | Your bank's 2026–27 branch notice |
| ATMs | Machine-specific | Machine and issuer-specific | Hours, supported cards and maintenance |
| Museums / gardens | Venue-specific | Venue-specific, often some closures | 2026–27 official calendar |
| Restaurants / shops | Venue-specific | Some closed, others reduced hours or first sales | The exact branch and date |
| Trains | Operating to published timetables | Holiday timetables; overnight exceptions only if announced | Last and first train on your line |
The table is a decision guide as of 2 October 2026, not a list of guaranteed openings. 29 December 2026 is a Tuesday; 1 January 2027 is a Friday, and 3 January is a Sunday. For an in-person errand, a date shown as a normal weekday on a calendar can still fall inside a year-end closure.
Banks and ATMs: separate the counter from the machine
The Bank of Japan lists 31 December through 3 January as holidays for its offices, in addition to weekends and national holidays. Its 2027 calendar identifies 1–3 January as the opening-year holiday block. Monday 4 January is the first ordinary weekday afterward. An individual commercial bank may issue its own year-end counter notice, so do anything that needs staff before 31 December and confirm the branch hours for 29–30 December.
An ATM is a separate service. Japan Post Bank's 2025–26 notice said some holiday-service machines operated through that New Year, with maintenance limits for particular transactions. That document belongs to last winter. On 2 October 2026, its FY2026 notices index did not show a 2026–27 year-end ATM schedule. A convenience-store ATM may be open while your foreign card or domestic bank's network is unavailable or charges a different fee. Verify the bank, card network and machine; take enough cash before 31 December for a short closure or outage.
Do not use last winter's ATM timetable
Japan Post Bank's prior notice described 1–4 January 2026, not 2027. The 2026–27 machine hours and service interruptions were unannounced on 2 October 2026. Check the new notice once published and keep a second payment method for the holiday.
Government offices and museums: reserve an alternative day
Tokyo's passport-office information excludes 29 December through 3 January from its processing days, matching the year-end closure used by many public counters. City and ward offices follow their own published schedules and may retain an exceptional service for urgent matters. If you need a certificate, application or in-person identity check, finish it before the year-end break. A tourist should not count on solving an administrative problem between sightseeing stops during that week.
Museums and gardens are less uniform. Some close before 29 December; others reopen on 1, 2 or 4 January. JNTO's previous annual lists illustrate this variation but do not verify a 2026–27 opening. As of 2 October 2026, use each venue's own 2026–27 calendar when it appears. Put a flexible outdoor walk or a confirmed open site beside each museum day in your plan. Do not travel across town on the strength of a normal Tuesday opening listing.
For a day centred on a shrine visit, the Hatsumōde guide explains the first prayer and etiquette. The practical point here is that major shrines can be open and extremely crowded while a nearby museum or ordinary office is shut.
Restaurants, shops and first sales
Restaurants choose their own holiday. Family-run places may close for several days; hotel dining and some chains may offer reduced hours or special menus. A reservation is safer for a specific dinner than assuming a large city guarantees walk-in food at your preferred time. Save a few confirmed options in the same district and check the restaurant's own site or booking page for the exact date. If you have dietary constraints or a late arrival, arrange a simple backup meal before the day.
Retail has a different rhythm. JNTO describes 初売り (hatsuuri, the first sale) and 福袋 (fukubukuro, lucky bags) at the beginning of January. A store may be shut on 1 January, then draw a queue when it opens for its first sale. Times vary even within one chain; use the branch's 2027 notice. Crowded shopping areas and popular shrines can make the holiday feel busy even while ordinary offices are closed. The crowd map by month helps choose less pressured outings.
Build meals around confirmed hours
For 31 December and 1 January, keep two food options: a booked meal or venue with published holiday hours, plus a simple fallback near your hotel. This is most useful outside central tourist districts, where a normal search listing may show regular hours instead of the holiday exception.
New Year's Eve trains: all-night service is not a default
Some operators schedule extra trains for shrine visits and first-sunrise trips in some years. JR East's 2025 winter notice, for example, described selected overnight lines from 31 December 2025 to 1 January 2026. That is useful history but not evidence for 31 December 2026. As of 2 October 2026, JR East's current extra-train index had no published 2026–27 overnight route list. Other rail operators may make separate decisions.
Therefore plan from the last ordinary service first. When the 2026–27 winter timetable appears, check the exact line, station, direction and frequency. An overnight service on one Tokyo line will not imply that your connecting subway, airport railway or local line also operates. If you intend a midnight shrine visit, a hotel within walking distance of the site can remove the last-train risk. The festival planning guide offers alternatives if your New Year visit is one stop on a longer trip.
Wait for the operator's 2026–27 announcement
Do not copy a previous year's all-night route map. JR East and each subway or private railway publish their own winter changes. Until your line appears in a dated 2026–27 notice, treat the normal last train as the planning limit.
A practical plan before the holiday
- Finish bank-counter and government errands before their respective closure windows.
- Withdraw some cash and confirm a working card or second payment method.
- Check 2026–27 calendars for each museum, restaurant and store you actually want to use.
- Reserve key intercity travel and check local last trains by date, including the return after midnight.
- Keep a nearby, confirmed alternative for each day with a planned indoor attraction.
The key distinction is between a known holiday rule and an operator's still-unpublished schedule. The former lets you act now; the latter belongs on a short recheck list closer to departure.
Frequently asked questions
Are shops open in Japan on New Year’s Day?
Yes, some are, but there is no nationwide retail schedule. Convenience stores and some tourist-area businesses may operate, while department stores often close or use special first-sale hours. Check the specific branch’s 1 January 2027 notice rather than relying on its ordinary hours. Japan National Tourism Organization says the New Year period brings both business closures and busy shopping events.
Can I withdraw cash from an ATM on 1 January 2027?
Only if the particular ATM and your card issuer support the withdrawal during holiday hours. Availability also depends on maintenance. As of 2 October 2026, Japan Post Bank had not published a 2026–27 year-end ATM timetable on its notices index. Its previous holiday notice is not a 2027 promise. Withdraw some cash before 31 December and check both your bank and the machine’s current schedule.
Do trains run all night on New Year’s Eve in Japan?
No. There is no nationwide all-night rail service. Some operators have run selected overnight trains in particular years, but as of 2 October 2026 JR East had not published a 31 December 2026–1 January 2027 route list on its extra-train notices page. Check the exact line and last or first train once the winter timetable appears. A past Yamanote Line service is not a guarantee for this year.
When do banks reopen after New Year 2027?
The Bank of Japan lists 31 December to 3 January as office holidays; 3 January 2027 is also a Sunday. Monday 4 January is the first ordinary weekday after that block, though an individual branch or service can have its own notice. ATM access is a separate question. Complete time-sensitive in-person banking before the holiday and verify your bank’s 2026–27 calendar.
Are museums open in Japan between 29 December and 3 January?
Yes, some are, for part of the period, but many close on dates chosen by each museum. A 2025–26 closure list is not a valid timetable for 2026–27. As of 2 October 2026, use the museum’s own current calendar for each day you want to visit; if next season’s dates are not posted yet, keep a different outdoor or open-site option.
Official Sources
This article references the following primary sources. Rules and figures change periodically — always verify current requirements directly before making decisions.
- Bank of Japan — 2026 and 2027 holiday schedule
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government — Passport office closure rule, checked October 2026
- Japan National Tourism Organization — December and New Year travel
- Japan National Tourism Organization — Business hours and holiday travel
- Japan Post Bank — FY2026 notices index, checked for 2026–27 ATM release
- JR East — Extra train notices, checked for 2026–27 overnight service
- Japan National Tourism Organization — Shopping and New Year first sales