The Japanese New Year's holiday celebrated from January 1 to January 3 is Shōgatsu.
Shōgatsu is one of Japan's most important annual observances. The first three days, called san-ga-nichi, are traditionally treated as a special holiday period when families gather, visit shrines and temples, exchange greetings and eat celebratory foods. Many businesses and schools close or operate on reduced schedules during the period.
Important customs include hatsumōde, the first shrine or temple visit of the year, and eating osechi ryōri, a collection of specially prepared foods packed in tiered boxes. Families may also eat ozōni, a soup containing rice cakes whose ingredients vary by region and household.
Shōgatsu should not be confused with the older lunisolar New Year still celebrated in some East Asian cultures. Japan officially adopted the Gregorian calendar for civil use in 1873, so modern Japanese New Year falls on January 1. The term can refer broadly to the New Year season, while san-ga-nichi specifically identifies its first three days.