Ten minutes by train from Narita Airport, and one of the most crowded places in Japan on 1 January.
Overview
Hatsumode, the first temple or shrine visit of the year, is the biggest single religious observance in Japan, and Naritasan Shinshoji draws some of the largest crowds anywhere. Founded in 940, the temple’s central image is Fudo Myoo, and its signature rite is the goma fire ceremony, performed repeatedly through the New Year days.
For a visitor arriving or leaving over the New Year period, it is the most accessible way to see the observance at full scale.
When and where
The peak is 1 to 3 January 2027, with the temple open through the night into 1 January and goma rites running frequently across the three days. Crowds thin noticeably from 4 January but the New Year atmosphere continues into mid-January.
Nearest station: JR Narita or Keisei Narita, about ten minutes on foot.
Getting there
From Narita Airport, the Keisei line reaches Keisei Narita in around ten minutes. From central Tokyo, allow an hour on the Keisei line or the JR Narita line. Trains run through the night on New Year’s Eve, and the walk from either station up the Omotesando to the temple takes about ten minutes at normal times, longer in the crowds.
What to expect
Queues, fire rites, and a food street working at full tilt.
- Goma fire rites in the Great Main Hall, performed many times a day over the New Year
- Amulets and votive tablets for the year sold at the temple offices
- Ema, omikuji fortunes and the burning of last year’s amulets
- The Omotesando approach lined with eel restaurants, senbei stalls and sweet shops
- Narita-san Park behind the halls, with ponds and a plum grove that flowers from February
Tickets and admission
Free to visit. Fire-rite participation and amulets are paid. Expect long waits for the main hall on 1 January; the temple publishes crowd guidance and the approach is one-way in places.
Tips for visitors
Go early on 2 or 3 January rather than at midnight on the 1st if you want to actually see the rites. Warm layers and shoes you can stand in for an hour are the practical essentials. If you are transiting through Narita Airport over New Year, this is a two-hour side trip from the terminal with luggage storage available at the station.
Access and map
| Dates | 1-3 January 2027 (peak days) |
|---|---|
| Venue | Naritasan Shinshoji, Narita, Chiba |
| Access | JR or Keisei Narita station, 10 minutes on foot; 10 minutes from Narita Airport |
| Admission | Free; rites and amulets charged |
| Official site | Naritasan Shinshoji |
Source: Naritasan Shinshoji official site
Image: Photo: Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
