Japanese Winter Traditions: New Year, Setsubun, and Seasonal Foods

How Japan’s winter traditions fit together

Winter begins with the solstice and year-end preparation, reaches its cultural center in New Year, and ends with Setsubun, which marks the transition toward spring in the older seasonal calendar. Some traditions are household customs, some are shrine or temple practices, and some are seasonal foods.

The main Japanese winter traditions

1. Toji: the winter solstice

Toji is the winter solstice, usually around December 21 or 22. It is the longest night of the year and a seasonal turning point. Traditional customs connect the day with warmth, protection, and staying healthy through winter.

Customs and foods

• Yuzu bath: bathing with yuzu citrus is a well-known seasonal custom associated with warmth and protection.
• Kabocha: pumpkin is eaten in the traditional belief that it helps people stay healthy through winter.
• Azuki foods: some regional customs use red beans as a protective or auspicious food.

These are traditional beliefs and customs, not medical advice or a requirement for every household.

2. Omisoka: New Year’s Eve

Omisoka is December 31, the final day of the year. Families clean, finish preparations, settle accounts, send year-end greetings, and spend the evening quietly or with relatives. Some temples ring bells at midnight in a practice called joya no kane.

Toshikoshi soba

Toshikoshi soba means “year-crossing soba.” The noodles are associated with long life and with leaving the old year behind. The dish may be served hot or cold, with different toppings and regional preferences. It is a common New Year’s Eve food, not a fixed recipe.

3. Oshogatsu: welcoming the New Year

Oshogatsu is the most important annual holiday period for many Japanese families. The first three days, called sanganichi, are especially associated with rest, family visits, shrine or temple visits, and auspicious food. Regional practice, religion, household habits, and work schedules all affect how the period is observed.

Symbols and customs

• Kadomatsu: pine, bamboo, and other decorations placed at entrances.
• Kagami mochi: stacked rice cakes used as a New Year decoration and later eaten in a custom called kagami biraki.
• Hatsumode: the first shrine or temple visit of the year.
• Otoshidama: money given to children by relatives.
• Hatsuhinode: watching the first sunrise, for those who follow the custom.

New Year foods

4. Nanakusa no Sekku: the Seven Herbs Festival

January 7 is Nanakusa no Sekku, one of the traditional five seasonal festivals. Many people associate it with nanakusa gayu, rice porridge made with seven spring herbs. The dish is a gentle seasonal reset after the rich foods of the New Year period and expresses a wish for health.

Nanakusa gayu

The exact seven herbs and their availability can vary. Modern households may use a packaged herb set or a simpler porridge. The cultural point is the seasonal custom and health wish, not a single exact recipe.

5. Setsubun: sending out winter and welcoming spring

Setsubun means the seasonal division, and the most familiar Setsubun is the day before Risshun, the traditional first day of spring. It usually falls around February 3, but the date can shift. The custom uses beans, masks, chants, and food to symbolically drive away bad luck.

Customs and foods

• Mamemaki: throwing roasted soybeans while saying “Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi,” or “Demons out, good fortune in.”
• Oni masks: visual symbols of demons or misfortune.
• Fukumame: roasted beans eaten after the bean-throwing custom, often with an age-related count in traditional explanations.
• Ehomaki: a thick sushi roll eaten in some regional and modern customs while facing a lucky direction; it is not an ancient universal menu item.
• Hiraki-irigoma and other local foods: details differ by household, region, and event.

Winter foods beyond one event

Nabe

Hot-pot cooking shared at the table, with many regional and household styles. It is a winter format, not one fixed festival food.

Oden

Simmered ingredients in broth, commonly enjoyed during cold weather and sold in restaurants and convenience stores.

Ramen and udon

Hot noodle dishes that are comforting winter foods, with regional variations and no single ceremonial meaning.

Winter seafood

Crab, oysters, yellowtail, cod, and other seafood may be seasonal in particular regions. Timing and availability vary by coast and year.

Mochi and citrus

Mochi appears in New Year customs, while mikan and yuzu bring winter color and fragrance to homes and seasonal foods.

Local winter festivals and modern winter events

Japan also has local winter traditions such as snow festivals, fire festivals, New Year’s shrine events, and regional mask or spirit customs. The Sapporo Snow Festival is a large modern winter event; Namahage and other local practices have deeper regional ritual histories. Christmas lights, Christmas meals, countdown parties, and winter illuminations are modern or adopted customs and should be labelled separately from Oshogatsu, Setsubun, or Toji.

FAQ

What are Japan’s main winter traditions?

Start with Toji, Omisoka, Oshogatsu, Nanakusa no Sekku, and Setsubun. Local snow and New Year festivals add regional depth.

What is the difference between Omisoka and Oshogatsu?

Omisoka is December 31, the last day of the old year. Oshogatsu is the New Year period beginning January 1, especially the first three days.

Why do people eat osechi?

Osechi is a collection of auspicious foods whose ingredients and names express wishes for health, prosperity, longevity, and family continuity. The contents vary widely.

Why is mochi important at New Year?

Mochi is used in ozoni and kagami mochi decorations. Its stretch and celebratory role are associated with longevity and renewal. It can also be a choking hazard, so it should be eaten carefully.

When is Setsubun?

The date changes slightly. The most familiar Setsubun is usually around February 3, the day before Risshun.

Is Christmas a traditional Japanese winter event?

Christmas is widely visible in modern Japan, but it is an adopted and commercialized winter custom rather than one of the traditional Japanese seasonal observances covered here.

Sources and further reading

• Japan National Tourism Organization: New Year food traditions
• Japan National Tourism Organization: New Year’s in Japan
• Japan National Tourism Organization: Japan in December
• Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Japanese event foods

For the broader travel-facing food guide, see Winter Foods in Japan. For the annual overview, see our Japan seasonal food calendar. For spring, summer, and autumn traditions, read Japanese Spring Traditions, Japanese Summer Traditions, and Japanese Autumn Traditions.

Editorial disclosure: Kuroneko Aji Meguri creates English food and culture guides as independent editorial pages. This guide describes common cultural associations, not one rule for every family, region, or festival. Check local official information for specific dates, programs, and venue rules.