Rows of glowing paper lanterns with painted kanji at a shrine

★ New Year 2027 Guide

Decorate for the New Year like it matters

From the last Christmas lights to the first sunrise of 2027 — a simple guide to Japanese New Year decor: what to put up, where, and exactly when.

Start the guide → See the calendar

Kadomatsu★Shimekazari★Kagami mochi★Osoji★Hatsumode★ Kadomatsu★Shimekazari★Kagami mochi★Osoji★Hatsumode★

The three essentials

What every home puts up

Japanese New Year decorations are not just pretty. Each one has a job: to welcome Toshigami-sama, the spirit who brings luck for the coming year.

Entrance of a traditional Japanese shrine

門松 · KADOMATSU

Gate pines

A pair of bamboo, pine and plum arrangements that give the New Year spirit a place to rest when it visits your home.

📍 Both sides of the entrance

A straw shimenawa rope with white paper shide above a wooden door

しめ飾り · SHIMEKAZARI

Door rope

Braided straw rope with white paper shide — it purifies the doorway and keeps bad luck outside. Modern versions mix in pine, gold and red.

📍 Front door or above it

Two plain white rounds of mochi on a dark plate

鏡餅 · KAGAMI MOCHI

Mirror rice cakes

Two stacked round mochi topped with a daidai orange — an offering that stands for one family carrying on from year to year.

📍 Living room or tokonoma

Decorating calendar

Timing is everything

In Japan the day you put decorations up matters as much as the decorations themselves. Here's the traditional schedule.

Dec 13

Start preparing

Traditional start of New Year prep. Plan decor and begin the big clean.

Dec 26

Christmas comes down

Swap the tree and Western ornaments for New Year pieces.

Dec 28

Best day to decorate

8 is a lucky number — the most popular day to put everything up.

29 · 31

Days to avoid

29 sounds like "double suffering"; the 31st is seen as rushed, last-minute respect.

Jan 7

Take it down

End of matsu-no-uchi in most of Japan (around Jan 15 in Kansai).

💡 Don't throw decorations in the trash. Many shrines hold a dondo-yaki fire around January 15 where you can bring them to be burned respectfully.

Minimal wooden tree and fir branches in a vase

Before you decorate

Clean first. Then shine.

Osoji — the year-end deep clean — clears out the old year so the new one arrives in a fresh home.

Declutter one room at a timeStart top to bottom: shelves, lamps, then floors.
Make the entrance spotlessIt's the first thing the New Year spirit sees — wipe the door, sweep the genkan.
Choose a colour storyRed, white and gold feel festive; green pine and natural wood feel calm.
Keep it simpleThree strong pieces beat twenty small ones. Leave space around each item.

Room by room

Ideas for every space

Entrance

Shimekazari on the door, a small kadomatsu pair on each side.

Living room

Kagami mochi on a low shelf, warm lights along the window.

A New Year tray of small dishes set out with a candle

Dining table

Red and gold runner, pine sprigs and candles for the osechi meal.

Pink sea-bream lucky charms piled at a shrine stall

Shelves

Pine cones, a lucky zodiac figure and a single string of warm LEDs.

Inspiration

Warm, calm, festive

Snow resting on the needles of a pine branch

Miniature ceramic houses with warm light

Small-space tips

Apartment friendly

Go mini

Tabletop kadomatsu (20–30 cm) look great by the door of an apartment and don't block hallways.

No nails needed

Hang shimekazari with an over-door hook or removable adhesive hooks — rental-safe.

Light, don't clutter

One string of warm white LEDs across a window does more than a box of small ornaments.

Mix old and new

Keep a few pine elements from Christmas — they carry over naturally into the New Year look.

Store it well

Reusable pieces last for years if you wrap them in paper and keep them dry until next December.

Balcony glow

Battery lights on the railing are a simple, neighbour-friendly way to mark the season.

FAQ

Good questions

Can I keep my Christmas decorations up for New Year?

Most families in Japan take Christmas down on the 26th and switch to New Year decor. Neutral pieces like pine greenery and warm lights can stay.

What if I missed December 28?

December 30 is also fine. Just try to avoid the 29th and the 31st.

When do I eat the kagami mochi?

On kagami-biraki, usually January 11. The mochi is broken by hand or with a mallet — never cut with a knife — and often cooked in soup.

Are artificial decorations okay?

Yes. Many homes, especially apartments, use reusable artificial pieces. They're practical and can be used year after year.

Wooden ema plaques with handwritten wishes at a shrine

Free checklist

Get the New Year checklist

A one-page printable plan: cleaning, decorating and take-down dates, plus a reminder before December 28.