Lunar New Year in Tokyo: A Sushi Class Plan

For many travellers from Taiwan, Hong Kong, mainland China, Korea and Southeast Asia, the Lunar New Year holiday is the easiest week of the year to take a trip, and Tokyo is a popular choice. If you are planning one for 2027, this guide covers the dates, what that week looks like in Japan, and how to fit a sushi class in Asakusa into it without stress.

The 2027 dates

Lunar New Year's Day falls on Saturday 6 February 2027 in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. In Korea, Seollal falls on Sunday 7 February 2027. The official days off around it differ by country, region and employer, so check your own calendar before booking flights.

Two Japanese dates sit close by:

• 3 February: Setsubun, the bean-throwing festival that marks the turn of the seasons. Senso-ji in Asakusa holds a well-known ceremony; our Setsubun guide to Asakusa explains what happens.
• 11 February: National Foundation Day, a Japanese public holiday. In 2027 it falls on a Thursday.

What that week looks like in Tokyo

Lunar New Year is not a public holiday in Japan. Offices, shops, museums and trains run on their normal schedules, so you do not face the closures of Japan's own New Year in early January.

What changes is the crowd. With many visitors arriving at the same time, popular places such as Senso-ji, Nakamise-dori and well-known restaurants are often busier than on an ordinary February week. Hotels and flights are usually more expensive. Japanese residents, meanwhile, are at work and school as usual, except at weekends and on 11 February.

Early February is also one of the colder parts of the Tokyo year. Days are often dry and clear, but plan for cool mornings and evenings, and bring a warm layer for walking between sights.

Booking a sushi class that week

Our signature sushi and matcha class is a 90-minute shared class at ¥12,000 per person. You make nigiri and maki, join a sake toast, whisk your own matcha and eat what you made, so it doubles as a meal.

When we checked the booking calendar on 4 November 2026, every day from 3 to 11 February 2027 had sessions at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00 and 18:00. Times and seats change, and a shared class holds up to 20 guests, so the live calendar is the only reliable answer for your date.

If your travel dates are fixed, booking early gives you the widest choice of times. The class is booked online and confirmed straight away. For more on timing, our guide to booking a sushi class in advance or on the day compares the two approaches.

Rules worth knowing before you pay

• Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the class start time. Cancellations within 24 hours are charged in full, and no-shows are non-refundable.
• Rescheduling is free with at least 24 hours' notice.
• The deadline is in Japan time. Japan does not use daylight saving time. Work out the deadline from the class start in Tokyo, not from the time at home.
• Arrive 10 minutes early. The studio is 30 seconds from the Tobu Skytree Line Asakusa Station North Exit and about 2 minutes from Ginza Line Exit 7.
• Dietary needs. Vegetarian, vegan and allergy-friendly options are available on request; tell us when you book.

Our guide to cancelling or rescheduling a sushi class explains how the 24-hour boundary works.

Language

Classes are taught in English, and bilingual Japanese and English staff are on hand. If someone in your group is more comfortable in another language, you are welcome to bring a friend, relative, guide or interpreter to help translate. Our guide to joining a sushi class without speaking Japanese covers how the teaching works in practice.

Travelling as a family

Lunar New Year trips are often multi-generational. Children aged 4 and above can take part in the regular class, and children under 4 are welcome to come along and share with a parent.

If your family wants the room to itself, the family private sushi class runs for 90–120 minutes at ¥25,000 per person, with a minimum of four and a maximum of eight participants. It is a request booking, so we confirm after checking availability; wait for that confirmation before fixing the rest of the day. The studio has space for luggage and strollers, which helps on arrival or departure days.

Three ways to plan the day

A class on Lunar New Year's Day. Join a morning session, then spend the afternoon in Asakusa or by the Sumida River. If the day falls on a weekend, as it does in 2027, expect busier streets around Senso-ji.

Setsubun and sushi. Arriving early in the week? Combine 3 February with the Setsubun events at Senso-ji, then take an afternoon or evening class nearby.

A weekday after the weekend. If your days off stretch into the following week, a weekday session avoids the extra weekend crowds, although Asakusa can stay busy while the holiday lasts.

Book the fixed point first

Lunar New Year week moves quickly once you arrive. Choose your class time first, then plan sightseeing and meals around it. Open the signature sushi and matcha class page to see the sessions currently offered for your dates.