Chinese Spring Festival 2026

The Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year, is more commonly referred to as the Spring Festival in China and celebrations take place over 15 days.

What happens?

There’s a variety of customs and celebrations throughout China and among the global Chinese diaspora, but each of the days has a special significance which you can read more about here. Of course, festivities in Hong Kong or elsewhere in China are just a short airplane ride away, but you can celebrate the Chinese Spring Festival in Tokyo’s own Chukagai (Chinatown) in Yokohama — the largest Chinese community in Japan.

Schedule 2025

• January 28: There will be a countdown event (incl. a lion dance) at midnight to usher in the Lunar New Year.
• January 29 (around 4 p.m.): On Lunar New Year’s Day, there will be the Chinatown Lion Dance where five lions will perform dances all around Chinatown to the tune of firecrackers and drums.
• February 1 to 2 (from 1 p.m.): At Yamashitacho Park, there will be a wide range of traditional performances that include lion and dragon dances and acrobatics.
• February 8 to 9: (location and time kept secret): A new addition for 2025. Surprise street performances will take over Chinatown throughout the day.
• February 11 (from 4:30 p.m.): There will be an extravagant celebratory parade that loops around Chinatown and, as expected, there will be plenty of dancing and performers dressed in emperor costumes.
• February 12 (5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.): The Lantern Festival will take place.