The curtain is coming down on 2024, which means it's time to draw up your plans for the New Year holidays. Watching the first sunrise of the year, called hatsuhinode, is a New Year tradition in Japan as it supposedly brings good luck. People gather at observation decks, camp out at beaches and board cruise ships to witness this while praying for a successful year ahead.
While tickets for the the first-sunrise at some of the city’s most popular places like Tokyo Skytree and Shibuya Sky have all sold out, there are still many ways you can spend this special morning. Here's our list of breathtaking vantage points in and near Tokyo for catching the first rays of 2025.
RECOMMENDED: the best observation decks in Tokyo for incredible views of the city skyline
Watch the first sunrise of 2025 while enjoying a cruise across Tokyo Bay. There are two options available with departures either from Asakusa at 5.30am or Hinode at 6am. A ticket for the 190-minute journey costs ¥3,200 for adults and ¥2,500 for children aged three to 11.
Advanced reservations are essential and can be booked online.
Yokohama's Osanbashi Terminal is one of the city’s top spots for viewing the first sunrise of the year, and crowds start gathering around the ship-shaped pier long before the main event. No entrance fees are required – a fact that only adds to the merriment.
Always one of the most popular spots for watching the first sunrise of the new year outside the city, Kanagawa’s expansive Miura Beach offers spectacular views of the sun emerging from beyond the Boso Peninsula on the other side of Tokyo Bay. And best of all, it’s free.
At Mt Takao, just 50 minutes by train from Shinjuku Station, you can see the sunrise at around 6.50am and get in a hatsumode visit at the mountain's Yakuoin Temple at the same time.
The cable car runs throughout the night and brings you half-way up the mountain, while the lift starts operating from 5am on January 1.
Check how to reach Mt Takao with our guide to New Year holiday train times.
Central Tokyo’s biggest park is only a 15-minute train ride from Tokyo Station, so there’s plenty of time to get there for the sunrise if you hop on the first train. There are many vantage points along the coast, but we recommend visiting the area around Amedas Edogawa Seaside Observatory facing Disneyland, where you’ll see the sun rising from behind the Cinderella castle.
Celebrate the New Year with a Japanese tradition by visiting a shrine or temple and pray for good fortunes
From snowy mountains to a white onsen town, there are plenty of places to make the most of the chilly season
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