Since 1873, Oshogatsu, the official Japanese New Year and perhaps the most important holiday in Japan, has been celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar, on January 1 of each year.

Visit Shofuso to enjoy a warm cup of tea, make seasonal origami, practice calligraphy, and witness Japanese new year and winter customs.

New Year Decorations

Kadomatsu gate pines will greet you as you enter Shofuso to see the house alive with traditional new year decorations and motifs, and the Sogetsu school of Ikebana International Chapter 71 provide modern Japanese floral arrangements for the public to enjoy.

New Year Traditions

Learn about Japanese new year customs, including traditional new year games and toys, tea ceremony’s first kettle of the new year, mochi pounding, traditional and modern winter kimono, and the coming of age ceremony.