Tokyo Winter Itinerary: Things to Do in Tokyo During the Winter

Japan in winter usually attracts two types of travelers. The first are those looking to go all the way on winter activities by taking to the slopes in Hokkaido and Nagano Prefecture’s famous ski resorts. The other are those looking for milder subtropical winters in the country’s southern regions, such as in Okinawa, Kagoshima and Miyazaki. 

This means that Tokyo, by comparison, sees somewhat less visitor traffic in the winter. But Japan’s capital still has plenty to do and see, so here are some of the best things to do during winter in Tokyo.

Japanese hot pot is some of the best in the world. In general these dishes are collectively referred to as “nabe” or “nabemono,” literally meaning “pot”. 

Hearty, filling and warm, these dishes are the perfect winter dish, especially when seated around a table with plenty of family and friends — preferably both.

With so many different types, here’s a quick look at what you can look forward to: 

Sukiyaki is probably the most famous of Japanese hot pot dishes. It’s a collection of vegetables, mushrooms and thinly sliced meat, which is then simmered in a shallow broth of soy sauce, mirin and dashi that’s called warishita.

Accordingly for Japan’s most popular hot pot style, there’s no shortage of excellent sukiyaki restaurants in Tokyo. 

Now run by a seventh-generation owner, Iseju in Nihombashi claims to be the oldest sukiyaki restaurant in Tokyo, and the quality of the cooking there certainly adds credence to its claims.

Halal diners won’t miss out either with Halal Sukiyaki Restaurant Diyafa, which uses halal-certified, melt-in-your-mouth A5-grade Shiretoko wagyu beef.

Most restaurants that offer sukiyaki also offer shabu-shabu, such as ILBrio Azabu; they’re two sides of the same delicious coin. It uses the same ingredients as sukiyaki, but instead of being simmered in a broth, diners hold them in chopsticks and swish them through a light dashi broth till they’re ready.

Unlike sukiyaki, the majority of the flavor in shabu-shabu comes from the natural flavor of the ingredients and the sauces they are dipped in, the most common of which are a citrus-based ponzu sauce or a thick sesame sauce. 

Shabu Shima in the low-key western neighborhood of Sangenjaya is one of the best places in the city to try out this delicious dish, with its Kagoshima kurobuta pork and its homemade ponzu sauce. 

But for something a little more upscale, Shabu-Shabu Tsukada in Shibuya Scramble Square boasts unblocked views of the incredible vista that is the Scramble Crossing.

A dish that jointly originated from both northern Kyushu and the Kansai region (though very differently), mizutaki is much lighter than sukiyaki, and is more akin to shabu-shabu. The Kyushu style of mizutaki is far more common across Japan, and uses a chicken bone-based broth that is simultaneously rich and light.

For the most authentic Kyushu-style mizutaki in Tokyo, check out Tsukiji Jisaku, a riverside restaurant in the former fish market, offering some of the best Kyushu fare outside of the region itself.

Alternatively, there’s also Chicken Kappo Hajime, which is first and foremost a yakitori restaurant, but many regulars swear by its mizutaki that rounds out the meal.

Perhaps the most opulent dish on this list — even though it competes with the likes of kurobuta pork and kuroge wagyu beef — kani-nabe has its origin variously claimed by both Osaka and Hokkaido (though our money is on the latter). 

Kani-nabe is literally crab hot pot, and depending on the season or location, can incorporate any kind of Japan’s most beloved crabs, from the small and sweet kegani horsehair crab, to the massive hon-tarabagani red king crab.

The best kani-nabe in Tokyo is without question Kani Kato Asakusa, which is run by Hokkaido’s King of Crab, a legend in the fishery scene. There’s simply no beating it when it comes to freshness.

A tradition dating back over 1,000 years, bathing in an onsen, or hot spring, is synonymous with winter in Japan. It’s not uncommon for visitors to be apprehensive about being completely nude with complete strangers, but once you’re actually in the bath, you’ll wonder why you ever hesitated in the first place.

Japan’s most famous onsen are mostly outside of Tokyo, such as Kurokawa Onsen in Kumamoto and Matsuyama’s Dogo Onsen. Nonetheless, there are natural onsen — that is, those that actually use geothermally-heated water from naturally occurring hot springs — including Spa LaQua in Tokyo Dome and Toshima-en Niwa no Yu in Tokyo’s northwestern Nerima Ward. 

Although, if the mineral-infused water isn’t a must and all you’re looking for is a good long soak, finding a local sento — a bathhouse that uses artificially heated water — might be an easier and more convenient option. 

Some of the more notable sento in the capital include the likes of Inari-yu in Kita Ward, famous for its majestic mural of Mount Fuji, and the swimming carp motifs that run throughout Teikoku-yu in Nippori.

Maybe you’re into cold baths instead, even in the dead of winter? If you’re up for a challenge, January 12 sees the Teppozu Inari Shrine — just east of Ginza, near Hatchobori Station — open up its doors to all comers for the Kanchu Misogi Festival. 

A relatively recent tradition that’s only 70 years old, the Festival involves a communal immersion with dozens of other people in an ice-cold open-air bath, exposed to the frigid early January winter. 

As it’s a Shinto purification ritual, men typically do the immersion dressed only in a loincloth and a headband, while women get a little more clothing. It’s still incredibly cold either way, though, but if anything is going to shock any impurity out of you, it’s this. 

It’s not Christmas without Christmas lights. But here in Japan, they are called “illuminations,” a term that strikes a wonderful balance between strange and familiar. 

The most famous illuminations around Tokyo are by far in the Tokyo Midtown and Marunouchi areas, being some of the most elaborate displays every year in the city, and both popular places alike for families and couples on dates. 

Similar illuminations are on display in all of Tokyo’s busiest shopping districts, including:

• Azabu Hills

• Roppongi Hills

• Yebisu Garden Place

• Odaiba. 

Visiting Japan in winter means that you’re not likely to catch the cherry blossoms in spring, but the government of Shinagawa Ward has you covered. Along the Meguro River, for a stretch spanning about two kilometers, cherry trees are draped with pink LED lights, turning it into a fuchsia-flushed orchard. They’re even better than actual cherry blossoms, in some sense — these can be seen at night too. 

If you’re willing to venture a little further west on the Keio Line, Yomiuriland’s Jewellumination light show is one of the most magnificent. This one, unlike the others on this list, actually has an entrance fee, but the spectacular fountain show alone makes it worth the price of admission. 

That’s right — this factoid is thrown around so often that it’s probably well-known already, but Christmas in Japan isn’t celebrated with turkey and ham: the centerpiece of the Christmas meal is, instead, a bucket of fried chicken. (And of course the Christmas cake, but that’s a whole different historical lesson.)

The result of a massively successful campaign by KFC in 1974 called Kentucky For Christmas, fried chicken is now the omnipresent dish adorning every table on December 24th.

Another fun factoid: Christmas in Japan is celebrated on Christmas Eve. It’s no joke: forget about swinging by a KFC to get some on a whim on the day itself, because fried chicken for Christmas has to be reserved weeks, if not months in advance.

Of course, KFC selling out of chicken every year means that several alternatives have since popped up. Popular options include Mos Burger, which sells boxes of six pieces, as well as all the major convenience store chains: FamilyMart, Lawson and 7-Eleven. A fun thing to do is to get a box from each of them, sit down together in a hotel room, and have a tasting comparison party. 

Fair warning though, some people get very defensive about their chicken of choice. Maybe it’d be better not to ruin Christmas by furiously debating the superiorities of Famichiki over Nanachiki, and settle for a more conventional roast chicken or turkey instead. 

While the announcement of Shibuya Ward’s cancellation of its official Christmas festivities was met with great disappointment, that doesn’t mean that there’s nowhere else to go for Christmas. Tokyo is home to some of the best countdown parties in the whole country. 

Including, of course, Shibuya. Get off the streets and into the clubs for a rollicking good time. WOMB’s New Year Countdown is the party to be at, featuring a good mixture of international DJ acts and a party that goes on till well after sunrise. 

For those into the local music scene, popular live houses Daikanyama Unit and Ebisu’s Liquidroom have their own lineup of live music acts featuring largely local big-name DJs.

Tickets are notoriously hard to get, but Countdown Japan is the holy grail of year-end music festivals: a 4-day festival that takes place at the end of every year, featuring some of the biggest Japanese acts — 2024’s lineup includes the likes of Ado, Zutomayo, Atarashii Gakko! and more. It’s an event not to be missed for any J-rockers.

If you’re a music fan who would rather stay at home, slide under the kotatsu (heated table) with a bowl of toshikoshi soba and flip the TV onto the NHK channel, where the annual Kohaku Uta Gassen (literally “Red and White Song Contest”) is broadcast every year. 

This puts Japan’s most famous male and female singers of the year against each other in a sing-off, where viewers can vote for the best team. (Hint: It’s usually red.)

If you’re not too tired from staying up all night partying, or cheering on your favorite team in Kohaku Uta Gassen, down a mug of coffee and head out for one of the most enduring New Year’s traditions: Hatsumode.

Hatsumode is the tradition of visiting a shrine during the first three days of the New Year to pray for good luck, and draw omikuji fortune slips to determine your fortune for the rest of the year. The first three days are technically when you’re supposed to visit, but for practicality’s sake, it still counts if you go within the first two weeks.

Naturally, all the major shrines see massive crowds, such as:

• Meiji Jingu in Harajuku

• Yasukuni Jinja at the Imperial Palace

• Kanda Myojin Shrine in Otemachi

• Senso-ji in Asakusa.

If you decide to go to any of these, be prepared to wait for hours.

It’s an experience that should be had at least once, though; the buzz in the air is electric. It’s a great time to people-watch as well; watching groups of partiers stumble straight from the clubs into holy ground, or couples holding hands as they ring bells for a long and loving relationship.

But if you’re willing to make the trip about an hour west of central Tokyo, and climb a mountain in near pitch blackness, watching the first sunrise of the year — the hatsuhinode — on Mt Takao is a magnificent way to ring in the New Year. 

Join crowds of fellow climbers to clamber up the side of the mountain in the cold, assembling at the top for an unforgettable sight as the sun slides over the horizon. Make sure you go early to secure yourself a good viewing spot: nothing worse than arriving only to see nothing but the backs of hundreds of people’s heads.

To be honest, part of the fun of Hatsumode is also wandering into the Japanese suburbs to find festivities taking place at local shrines. According to Japan Wonder Travel, there are almost 1,500 shrines scattered throughout Tokyo — there’s bound to be one within a few minutes of your place of stay. 

There’s a palpable community spirit throughout local ones as community members stoke bonfires, dole out amazake and catch up with each other. It’s a great way to experience a quintessential Japanese tradition just the way a local would. 

Taking place a day before the start of spring, Setsubun takes place around the time when the weather is just starting to warm up, and is one of the most iconic festivals in Japan. (In fact, while February is represented by Valentine’s Day motifs on most Western calendars, Japanese calendars almost universally have February represented by Setsubun.)

2025’s Setsubun takes place on February 3, and is a festival meant to drive out demons and ill luck. This is achieved by throwing fistfuls of soybeans at shrine staff and volunteers dressed up as oni, or demons, while chanting “Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi,” which translates to demons out, fortune in. 

Strangely it’s not one of the better-known Japanese festivals outside of Japan. While it’s a sacred tradition that’s a key part of Japanese culture, realistically it’s also just a good excuse to wildly huck soybeans without consequences.

As is expected for a major Shinto celebration, all major shrines have some sort of Setsubun celebration. In Tokyo, the two most popular ones are at Zojoji Temple near the Tokyo Tower, and at the iconic Senso-ji in Asakusa. 

If one trip to Mt Takao wasn’t enough for you (or you decided to sleep in on New Year’s Day), Yakuoin Temple near the summit has its own Setsubun celebration.

Find out more: How To Celebrate Setsubun: Japan's Bean-Throwing Holiday

Feeling festive? Find out more about Christmas in Tokyo, a few recommendations for luxurious Tokyo Christmas dinner plans and see what each season has to offer with the best time to visit Japan.