New Year Dining 2024

New Year Dining 2024 (元日から営業しているレストラン)

Finding somewhere good to eat out over the New Year Holiday in Japan can be a challenge with most independent and quality restaurants closed until 5th January 2024.  That, inevitably, means some compromise if you want to dine out.  Most department stores and commercial buildings are closed on 1st January but re-open on 2nd.  Hotels are open, of course, if you don't mind paying a premium, though the finest hotel restaurants may still be closed.  Many non-Japanese independent restaurants that don't celebrate New Year on 1st Jan will be open.  Toyosu Market is closed on 31st Dec and re-opens on 5th Jan when all eyes will be on the first tuna auction of the year.  Until then, most restaurants will not be able to get fresh fish but even at the re-opening, the usual complement of boats won't necessarily have all landed.  Other suppliers around Japan will also close for the New Year so restaurants will not be able to get their other usual produce.  Not all fish a restaurant serves will have been bought that day.  Most sushi restaurants age some fish.  Much of the wholesale maguro that is sold is sold frozen.  If you've ever eaten ikura in the off-season it will have been frozen.  But shellfish and oily fish need to be as fresh as possible.  So, all considered, if you do find somewhere open over the New Year, particularly when it comes to fish, it's quite likely the restaurant won't be at its best.  So bear this in mind when considering a booking.

With that said, here, in approximate descending order of luxury, are details of decent restaurants that are open in Tokyo over the holiday this year.  Happy dining 2024!

📅 Open on 1st Jan

🇮🇹 Le Pristine Tokyo (special 1st Jan lunch only) 

🇯🇵 Haramasa

🇭🇰 Seventh Son

🇮🇹 la Brianza

🇫🇷 L'allium

🇫🇷 Mori

🇫🇷 Lyla

🇫🇷 Saint Faucon

🇮🇹 Lunetta (dinner and exceptional lunch hours 1st-3rd Jan)

🥩 Wolfgang's Steakhouse (Marunouchi, and Teppan Ginza closed 1st Jan)

🥩 Benjamin Steak House

🇫🇷 L'as

💡 Caveman

🍤 Tempura Azabu Yokota Ginza Bettei

🍤 Tempura Azabu Yokota Shinjuku Bettei

🐂 Kintan
Omotesando and Harajuku branches open on 1st Jan.  Kagurazaka branch open from 3rd Jan.  All other branches open from 2nd Jan.

🇭🇰 Tim Ho Wan (Shinjuku branch closed 1st Jan)

🍜 Tamjai Samgor Shinjuku

🥗 Crisp Salad Works
All branches except Roppongi Hills closed on 1st Jan.  Some other branches open from 2nd Jan.  See here for details (Japanese only)

🍜 Ramen-ya Shima (Open 1st, Closed 2nd?)

🍜 Rokurinsha
Ueno branch closed 1st Jan.  All other branches open. See here for details (Japanese only)

🍜 Afuri Ramen
Roppongi Hills branch open 1st Jan.  Some branches open from 2nd Jan.  See here for details (bilingual)

🍜 Ramen Kamo to Negi (?)
Okachimachi
Sugamo
Machida 

Roppongi Hills is open on 1st Jan as usual though some restaurants are closed.  See here (Japanese only) for details.

Shibuya Yokocho and Kabuki Yokocho are apparently open.

LaLaport malls are open, as is Ariake Garden and DiverCity Tokyo.

Most restaurants inside Tokyo Station are open on 1st Jan.  See here and here for full details (Japanese only).

Most Ecute facilities are open, with the exception of Kanda Manseibashi / 'Maach'.

📅 Open on 2nd Jan

🇫🇷 La Clairiere

🇫🇷 Alchimiste

🇫🇷 Hortensia

🇯🇵 Waki Shun

🇫🇷 L'aube

🇫🇷 Prunier

🥩 Morton's

🇨🇳 Series the Sky

🇫🇷 Noura

🍤 Shibuya Tempura Fujimoto

🍤 Tempura Azabu Yokota Ebisu Garden Place 

🍕 PST (12/31-1/1 closed, 1/2 from 5pm)
Higashi-Azabu
Roppongi

☕️ Ivy Place

🇬🇷 The Apollo

🍖 Smokehouse

🇺🇸 Clinton Street Baking Company & Restaurant 

🐷 Sugita (tonkatsu)

🐷 Katsukichi (Shibuya 1/3, Shin-Maru 1/2, Takashimaya Nihombashi SC 1/2, Hibiya International 1/4)

🐷 Tonkatsu Marushichi Ikebukuro

🍱 Pariya (Aoyama main branch open from 3rd, all other branches from 2nd)

Azabudai Hills re-opens on 2nd Jan but not with all restaurants.  See here for details (Japanese only)

All Atre and Lumine operations are closed on 1st Jan and resume on 2nd.

📅 Open on 3rd Jan

🥩 Peter Luger Steak House Tokyo (dinner from 3rd Jan)

Toranomon Hills.  Some places open from 1/3.  Not fully open till 1/4.  See here for details (Japanese only)