Tokyo Midtown New Year

Tokyo Midtown kicks off 2026 with lion dances, free sake, live traditional music, and a playful new interactive artwork you can literally climb into.

What happens?

As the year comes to a close, Tokyo Midtown puts on a party. Around the complex, expect lion dance parades, free sake, and opportunities to write your year-end cards.

This year’s main attraction is Big Fukuwarai, a giant, cushion-based version of the classic New Year game, created in collaboration with award-winning artist Yuna Tanaka.

Fukuwarai is a traditional Japanese New Year’s game often compared to “pin the tail on the donkey”. Players are blindfolded and try to place facial features onto a blank face.

Schedule

Tokyo Midtown New Year 2026 runs from January 2 to 4, 2026.

• The interactive artwork Big Fukuwarai will be on display from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Atrium.
• A free sake giveaway takes place on January 2 from 10:45 a.m. to noon, limited to the first eight hundred guests.
• Lion dance performances are held on January 2 and 3, with four performances scheduled each day.
• Calligraphy New Year card writing runs from January 2 to 4, daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a limit of five hundred participants per day.
• Japanese traditional instrument concerts take place from January 2 to 4, with three sets each day.