Japanese Culture, December in Japan, Two Japanese ladies having fun in the cold weather and snow.

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December in Japan is the time to tie up the loose ends of the old year and get ready for a fresh start at the beginning of the new.

Days, Events and Activities for All December in Japan

December in Japan is all about preparing for the New Year. It starts off with Hari Kuyou, when seamstresses in Kyoto ceremonial say good bye to their bracken needles. Then comes buying New Year’s gifts for those special relationships and business partners. Afterwards it is time to give your home one last deep cleaning or the year. And finally, Japanese people pay off all debts (traditionally) and finish all government work before the holiday. Somewhere in al this fun is Christmas celebrated with its own Japanese twist. At the end of it all is writing Hagaki, post cards, wishing Happy New Year to friends and family. Then the big night, New Year’s eve when people gather for a super late night of praying for a happy, healthy and prosperous new year at midnight at temples and shrines across Japan. So enjoy December in Japan! There are ton of things for everyone to do!

December in Japan Calendar

December 2020

SU
MO
TU
WE
TH
FR
SA
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
Events for December

1st

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Events for December

2nd

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Events for December

3rd

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Events for December

4th

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Events for December

5th

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Events for December

6th

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Events for December

7th

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Events for December

9th

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Events for December

11th

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Events for December

12th

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Events for December

14th

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Events for December

16th

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Events for December

17th

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Events for December

18th

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Events for December

19th

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Events for December

20th

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Events for December

21st

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Events for December

22nd

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Events for December

23rd

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Events for December

24th

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Events for December

25th

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Events for December

26th

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Events for December

27th

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Events for December

29th

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Events for December

30th

No Events

Map of Events During December in Japan

Timeline of Events and Holidays During December in Japan

08 December 2020
Ladies putting their broken needles into you at a shrine for Hari-Kuyou, December in Japan

Hari-Kuyou in Kansai Area near Kyoto 針供養 はりくよう

Hari-Kuyō In Kansai occurs on December the eighth and is a time for seamstresses to say thank you and good to their broken needles in a semi-spiritual way. ...

All Day
Kyoto, Japan
View Details
10 December 2020
20 December 2020
Japanese Culture, November in Japan, December in Japan, OSeibo, Some tasters treat that people can send as end of the year presents in Japan., December in Japan

OSeibo Or Japanese End of Year Gift Giving : お歳暮 おせいぼ

🎁 Oseibo: Japanese year-end gifts for superiors, business partners, or family. Typically practical items (soap, beer) bought at department stores & sent via courier. Sales start in November! ...

All Day
View Details
13 December 2020
Japanese Culture, December in Japan, Start of New Year’s Preparations In Edo Times, December in Japan

Start of New Year’s Preparations in Japan 正月事始め しょうがつことはじめ

December 13th is the start of New Year’s preparations in Japan. On this day bills and loans are to be paid from the previous year and cleaning begins. ...

All Day
Japan
View Details
15 December 2020
18 December 2020
Japanese Culture, December in Japan, Traditional Japanese dancers wearing Heian era kimonos performing a ritual at night. Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri, December in Japan

Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri 春日若宮おん祭 かすがわかみやおんまつり

The Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri from December 15th to 18th was originally created to pray away an epidemic. Later it became about getting a good harvest. ...

All Day
Nara city, Nara prefecture
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28 December 2020
Japanese Culture, December in Japan, People in front of a train station somewhere in Japan. Goyosame., December in Japan

Last Day of Work for the Year at Government Offices in Japan : Goyosame 御用納め ごようおさめ

ecember in Japan is the time to tie up the loose ends of the old year and get ready for a fresh start at the beginning of the new. ecember ... ...

All Day
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31 December 2020
Japanese Culture, Omisoka. People watching, December in Japan fireworks at Miyajima shrine on New Year’s Eve.

Omisoka Or Japanese New Year’s Eve : 大晦日 おおみそか

ecember in Japan is the time to tie up the loose ends of the old year and get ready for a fresh start at the beginning of the new. ecember ... ...

All Day
View Details
31 December 2020
Namahage character beating a taiko drum. Japanese Culture, December in Japan

Namahage in Akita Prefecture 生剥 なまはげ(秋田)

Namahage is a cultural tradition in Akita prefecture that occurs on December 31st every year and is very similar to the Grumpus tradition around Austria. ...

All Day
Akita Prefecture
View Details
31 December 2020
01 January 2021
Okeramairi, Japanese Culture, A young woman lighting a rope to take home for good luck on New Year’s Eve in Kyoto., December in Japan

Okeramairi : New Year’s Eve Visit to Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto をけら詣り

Okeramairi is a Kyoto tradtion dating back to the Heian era. People go to Yasaka shrine to bring home a burning rope for good luck the coming year. ...

All Day
Yasaka Shrine, Kyoto, Japan
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31 December 2020
Two young women lighting a coil of rope at a lantern with a raging fire., December in Japan

Okerasai Festival (Kyoto, Yasaka Jinja(Shrine) 京都市東山区にある八坂神社)白朮祭 をけら詣り をけら参り おけらまいり 

Light Some Bamboo Rope For a Year’s Worth of Good Luck The Okerasai Festival at Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto on December 31st every year from about 7 pm to the wee hours if New Year morning is a unique event that reflects the culture of old Heian Kyo. ...

7:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Kyoto, Japan
View Details
08 December 2021
Ladies putting their broken needles into you at a shrine for Hari-Kuyou, December in Japan

Hari-Kuyou in Kansai Area near Kyoto 針供養 はりくよう

Hari-Kuyō In Kansai occurs on December the eighth and is a time for seamstresses to say thank you and good to their broken needles in a semi-spiritual way. ...

All Day
Kyoto, Japan
View Details
10 December 2021
20 December 2021
Japanese Culture, November in Japan, December in Japan, OSeibo, Some tasters treat that people can send as end of the year presents in Japan., December in Japan

OSeibo Or Japanese End of Year Gift Giving : お歳暮 おせいぼ

🎁 Oseibo: Japanese year-end gifts for superiors, business partners, or family. Typically practical items (soap, beer) bought at department stores & sent via courier. Sales start in November! ...

All Day
View Details
13 December 2021
Japanese Culture, December in Japan, Start of New Year’s Preparations In Edo Times, December in Japan

Start of New Year’s Preparations in Japan 正月事始め しょうがつことはじめ

December 13th is the start of New Year’s preparations in Japan. On this day bills and loans are to be paid from the previous year and cleaning begins. ...

All Day
Japan
View Details
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About the Author

Pjechorin

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I have lived and worked with my family in Japan since 2005. For many years I have been interested in the very practical and creative side of Japanese culture. In my free time I travel around, enjoy hiking in the countryside and cities, and just generally seeing and doing new things. This blog is primarily a way for me to focus my energies and record and teach others about what I have learned by experience constructively. I am interested in urban development, and sustainable micro-economics, especially home-economics, and practical things everyday families can do to survive and thrive through these changing times.