Winter Guide

Defeat the biting cold with hearty food, warm baths, and enchanting holiday illuminations

The chill of winter means you'll have to come extra prepared to brave the elements, packing scarves, gloves, down jackets, and more. Once you acclimate to the cold, you'll find the city is full of enchanting spectacles, soothing food, and traditional events that date back several centuries. What's more, the crisp air, deep blue skies, and minimal rain make it the ideal season for looking out over the city center and surrounding landscape from observation decks.

Dressing for the weather

It sometimes snows in Tokyo during the winter, but not often. Snow generally falls in January and February, the coldest time of year in the city, but rarely settles. It's a good idea to bring warm coats, jackets, sweaters, gloves, and scarves to protect against the cold. Despite the cold, it's often sunny, making it a great season for sightseeing, as long as you're warmly dressed.

Enjoy a relaxing “nabe” hot pot meal

Japanese cuisine changes with the seasons. Nabe hot pots are a staple of Japanese winter, and you can find all kinds of them in Tokyo. Head to the Ryogoku area, home of the Ryogoku Kokugikan sumo arena, to sample chanko nabe—the type of hot pot that sumo wrestlers eat. There are also plenty of other hot pot-style dishes, such as sukiyaki, shabu-shabu, and motsu nabe (offal hot pot) available at specialty restaurants, and Japanese-style pubs called izakaya.

Oden to go: enjoy stewed meats and veggies

From humble stalls to high-class restaurants, there are a huge number of places in Tokyo that serve oden—a selection of fish cake, stewed meats and veggies. Check out the Akabane Ichibangai Shopping Street with its laid-back atmosphere, or one of Ginza's many hidden gems in the backstreets. Track down a great oden place in your own favorite part of town. In the winter months, you'll also find oden on sale at many convenience stores in the city.

Enchanting Christmas lights will put you in the holiday spirit

Tokyo winters come alive with extravagant illuminations and festive decorations for occasions like Christmas and Valentine's Day. Popular spots for illuminations include the tree-lined streets of Omotesando, Ginza, and Ebisu. Marunouchi district, Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi, and the Meguro River in Nakameguro are also popular. You can check illumination spots with the “Winter Illumination Guide.”

Marunouchi Illumination

Tokyo Midtown Illumination

Escape the winter chill with a relaxing bath

Winter is the perfect season to enjoy a traditional bath or take a dip in a hot spring. Tokyo has numerous Onsen and Bathhouses.

Festivals & Traditional Events

While summer offers vibrant festivals, bon-odori dance, and firework displays—winter also has plenty of traditional events and customs to take part in.
Note: See 'The Best Festivals in Tokyo and Japan' for more details about festivals held in Tokyo throughout the year.

New Year's customs

If you happen to be in Japan over the New Year's holiday, head to Meiji Jingu Shrine on January 1st (starting at midnight) to partake in "hatsumode" (the first temple/shrine visit of the new year). Meiji Jingu, which enshrines the Emperor Meiji and his wife, is visited by over 3 million people over the first three days of the new year. It's known for being the most popular place in Japan to go for hatsumode.

Bean-throwing festivals

February 3 marks the last day of winter on the old Japanese calendar, and the traditional way to celebrate is called Setsubun. On this day before spring, people scatter beans to ward off bad luck and draw in good fortune. At Zojoji Temple, you can try scattering beans for yourself and enjoy food from various stalls. At Sensoji Temple, people believe that no demons would dare appear before the enshrined Kannon bodhisattva—so people focus on chants for good luck.
Setsubun takes place at shrines and temples all over the city, including Ookunitama-jinja Shrine and Kanda Myojin Shrine, and draws many visitors.