What is the best place in Japan to spend New Year's Eve?

What is the best place in Japan to spend New Year's Eve?

Whether you want a traditional Japanese New Year or a lively celebration like many other countries depends on your preference. If you're interested in a Japanese-style New Year, I recommend Kyoto as the best place. People often visit shrines and temples during the New Year. Personally, I suggest spending the year-end and New Year with locals for an unforgettable experience. This involves cleaning the house, eating soba, and attending countdown events at shrines, temples, or outdoor concerts. On New Year's Day, enjoy special dishes, draw omikuji at temples or shrines, and spend time with family.

drawing omikuji
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Omikuji: An omikuji is a traditional Japanese fortune-telling practice commonly found at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Visitors can draw a slip of paper from a box or container, which contains a fortune. The fortunes range from great blessing (大吉, daikichi) to great curse (大凶, daikyou), with various levels of fortune in between.