Prior to midnight, I hung out with a group of travellers and we (very noisily) made our way to the Shibuya crossing... Which was apparently blocked. I found out that there used to be an official New Year's Eve countdown there but Tokyo put it to a halt just last year. Such a shame although I don't blame the government. Places get really, really trashed. It's such a big contrast to how the Japanese take care of their environment, even during major Japanese festivals. Nonetheless, there were still so many people-- some even in costumes-- persistent to have a countdown of their own.
Midnight struck, greetings were made, hugs were given. Everyone was happy although we barely knew each other. A joyful riot ensued, then the group broke into smaller groups. Most wanted to go dancing in a club but I ended up in a pub with a few people.
Disclaimer: My New Year story isn't about drinks and loud music. I had a few beers but the real celebration started at 2am when I set off for Mount Takao to catch the first sunrise of the year, which is very important to the Japanese. I fell in love with this perspective the very first time my friend told me about it. From my side of the world, people just party 'til late night and sleep in the next day. Initially, I did not know who I was going to go with on this adventure. I was mostly told that I was crazy to want to hike a mountain when I should just be celebrating under the influence of alcohol. Luckily enough, I found outliers who wanted to try this cultural experience.
On regular days, the last train is around 12 midnight but since New Year is very special in Japan, trains are open for 24 hours from December 31st to January 1st. I did my research online and took note of the trains headed towards Mount Takao. There's supposed to be a 3:20am train from Shinjuku that would take people directly to Takaosanguchi station (which is closer to the foot of the mountain as opposed to Takao station) by 4:12am. Fortunately, however, I made a new friend. An angel. A Japanese one! She suggested that we go earlier because for sure, there will be a lot of people. So I did my research once more and I saw that we could just take the JR lines. But she then brought us all to the Keio line, where she just asked the station manager how to get to Takaosanguchi station from Shibuya. That route is apparently way faster and, not to mention, cheaper. I was expecting to pay around 900 JPY for a 1-hour train ride but we only paid 380 JPY! I could not find this information on the internet, so for anyone who would want to go to Mount Takao on New Year's day, taking the Keio line would be the cheapest and quickest bet. Just make sure to ask the station manager about your routes and times (there are express trains that skip stops, so you'd wanna make sure). Don't worry, they mostly understand English and try their best to communicate even through Japanese.
We arrived at Takaosanguchi station at around 3:30am and just the station itself was already packed with people. It was also very, very cold. To save time and energy, we opted to take the cable car. For adults, a one-way ticket cost 490 JPY while a roundtrip ticket costs only 930 JPY. Note that there are separate queues for ticket-purchasing and for the entrance of the cable car ride. Also note that the cable car doesn't take you directly to the summit so expect about a 40 minute walk upon getting off.
You won't go hungry on the mountain as there are various food stalls open around the clock for the holiday. Prices aren't that bad but, of course, you can also opt to bring your own snacks and drinks with you. From the cable car exit, you'll find a beautiful view of the city. Wee saw a crowd of people already seated on their own chairs and picnic mats around 4am. We assumed that the sun would rise from that direction but we were ambitious and really wanted to see it from the summit. We had time anyway as sunrise is expected at around 6:45am.
Maybe less than a kilometer away from the summit, guards were stopping everyone from moving forward. They said that it's already too crowded at the summit so they can resume entrance only AFTER sunrise. I was a little heartbroken. It was then that I realized why there were already a lot of people gathered by the cable car exit. They knew better. At this point, it was 5am and -2 degrees Celcius. I badly needed to go to the toilet but then the nearest bathroom was also blocked-- another set of guards were stopping other people from moving towards my area. Lesson learned: If you really want to see the sunrise at the summit, go earlier than 2am. Perhaps the early birds camped out by midnight.
We found a spot by the stairs. People already started sitting in rows so we joined in. It was cold; as I've mentioned, the temperature was already at -2. We waited for more than an hour. Although the sun hasn't risen yet, the sky was already turning into different hues and colors.
And FINALLY...
A picture is worth a thousand words but being there was-- hands down-- a priceless experience. In spite of the cold, lack of sleep and the dire need to pee, being there was worth it. It was definitely a wonderful way to start the year!
The crowd started moving and lines were formed once again. A lot of people gathered by the shrines and temples to pray. The entrance to the summit finally resumed and it did not take very long until we reached the top, where another one of nature's wonders was waiting.
FUJI SAN! I've had so many failed attempts to see it and there it was and there I was! After a gazillion photos and giggles later, we capped the celebration off with some soba, which is actually Japan's traditional dish for New Year's EVE. I felt happy and peaceful. May 2016 be filled with more surprises and adventures!
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