1. New Year’s While many nations in East Asia celebrate the Lunar New Year, Japan celebrates New Year’s Day on January 1 according to the Gregorian calendar. New Year’s Eve is called omisoka, while New Year’s Day is shogatsu or oshogatsu. New Year’s is the most important festival in the annual Japanese calendar, marked by city-wide decorations, midnight visits to shrines, the ringing of temple bells, presents for children and special food with family. While January 1 is the only official national holiday, most companies will be off until the 4th. - allabout-japan.com