春节 (Chūnjié)(설날) ~에서 🇯🇵 일본

While Japan officially switched to the Gregorian New Year (Shogatsu) in 1873 during the Meiji era, the Lunar New Year (Kyu Shogatsu) still resonates in certain regions and communities. Yokohama's Chinatown (Chukagai), the largest in Japan, hosts the country's most visible Lunar New Year celebrations.

Yokohama Chukagai transforms with red lanterns, lion dances, dragon parades, and performances of traditional Chinese arts. The celebration draws hundreds of thousands of visitors over two weeks. Kobe's Nankinmachi (Chinatown) and Nagasaki's Shinchi Chinatown also hold significant events, with Nagasaki's Lantern Festival featuring 15,000 lanterns that illuminate the city.

In Okinawa, the Lunar New Year has particular significance due to the island's historical ties to China and Southeast Asia. Some Okinawan fishing villages and communities still observe the lunar calendar for certain celebrations, and traditional foods and customs differ from mainland Japanese practices.

For most Japanese people, Lunar New Year is not a personal holiday but rather an occasion for cultural tourism and enjoying Chinese cuisine. Restaurants in Chinatowns offer special menus, and supermarkets stock Chinese New Year treats like nian gao, sesame balls, and almond cookies. The festivities add a colourful counterpoint to the more sombre Japanese Shogatsu.

The most important traditional Chinese festival marking the beginning of the lunar new year, celebrated with family reunions, red envelopes, fireworks, dragon dances, and elaborate feasts.