New Year Japanese Decorations: Kadomatsu, Shimekazari and More

Updated October 2026 · Home Project Resources

The main new year Japanese decorations are kadomatsu (pine and bamboo arrangements set in pairs at the entrance), shimekazari (a straw rope ornament hung over the door) and kagami mochi (stacked round rice cakes displayed inside the home). Together they welcome the spirit of the new year and wish the household good health and a good harvest.

Japanese New Year, called shogatsu or oshogatsu, is celebrated on January 1 and is the most important holiday of the year in Japan. Homes are cleaned top to bottom in late December, and then a small set of traditional decorations goes up. If you want to bring this tradition into your own home, whether you have Japanese heritage or simply admire the look, this guide explains what each decoration means, where it goes, when to put it up and take it down, and how to make simple versions yourself.

What New Year Japanese Decorations Mean

Japanese New Year decorations are less about festive sparkle and more about welcoming good fortune into a clean, prepared home.

In traditional belief, a deity of the new year (often called toshigami-sama) visits each household to bring blessings for the coming year. Each decoration has a job in that welcome:

The plants are chosen for meaning. Pine stays green through winter and stands for long life. Bamboo grows straight and fast and stands for strength and growth. Plum blossoms bloom in late winter, often before other flowers, and stand for renewal and perseverance.

Kadomatsu Decoration: The Entrance Pair

A kadomatsu decoration is made of three diagonally cut bamboo stalks surrounded by pine branches, often with plum branches, bound with straw rope and set in a base. They are placed in pairs, one on each side of the entrance.

Full-size kadomatsu at shops, offices and temples can be taller than a person. For a home, smaller versions are common, and tabletop kadomatsu are popular for apartments and entry tables.

How to make a small DIY kadomatsu

Basic hand tools are enough for this one; our list of essential DIY tools covers everything you need.

Materials: - Three bamboo stalks or bamboo-look tubes of different heights (for example roughly 8, 10 and 12 inches for a tabletop version) - A sturdy pot or a short section of wide bamboo as the base - Floral foam, sand or pebbles to hold the stalks - Fresh or faux pine branches - A few plum blossom stems (faux works well) or red berry stems - Straw rope, jute twine or natural raffia - A small saw and sandpaper

Effort: moderate. Where in the home: either side of the front door, or as a single pair on an entry table.

Steps: 1. Cut the tops of the bamboo at a sharp diagonal angle with a fine-tooth saw (see our guide to types of saws if you are unsure which one to use). Sand the edges smooth. 2. Fill the pot with foam or packed sand. Set the tallest stalk in the center back, with the two shorter ones in front so the cut faces point outward. 3. Tuck pine branches around the base of the bamboo so they fan outward and hide the foam. 4. Add plum blossoms or red berries for color. 5. Wrap the pot with straw rope or twine, tying it in front with a neat knot. 6. Make a second one, ideally a mirror image, for the other side of the door.

Shimekazari: The Door Ornament

Shimekazari is a decorative ornament built on sacred straw rope (shimenawa). It is hung over the front door to show that the home has been cleaned and prepared for the new year.

A typical shimekazari includes: - A looped or twisted rice straw rope - Shide, white zigzag paper streamers - A daidai (a bitter orange), whose name can be read as wishing the family continues generation to generation - Urajiro fern leaves, associated with a long, shared life - Sometimes yuzuriha leaves, red and white mizuhiki cord, or a small fan

Modern shimekazari come in many styles, from traditional straw to wreath-like designs with flowers, pine and mizuhiki knots that suit Western-style front doors.

How to make a shimekazari-style door wreath

Materials: - A straw wreath form or a thick braided straw rope - White paper (washi or plain printer paper) for shide - A small faux orange or mandarin - A few fern fronds (faux holds up best) and a pine sprig - Red and white cord or ribbon - Floral wire

Effort: easy to moderate. Where in the home: centered on the front door or above it.

Steps: 1. Shape the straw into a loop or keep it as a horizontal braid. 2. Fold shide: cut a strip of paper, make two straight cuts partway from alternating sides, and fold each section down to form the zigzag. Make two. 3. Wire the fern fronds and pine at the bottom center of the straw. 4. Wire the orange on top of the greenery as the focal point. 5. Hang the two shide strips on either side and tie red and white cord in a simple knot. 6. Hang it on the door the same way you would any wreath; our guide on how to hang a wreath on a door covers damage-free options.

Kagami Mochi: The Indoor Display

Kagami mochi is two round, flat rice cakes stacked one on top of the other, crowned with a daidai or mandarin orange, usually set on a small wooden stand.

Its name refers to the round mirrors of old, and the two layers are often said to represent the old year and the new year. Households display it in the main room, alcove (tokonoma) or home altar. In many homes it is ceremonially broken and eaten in early January in a custom called kagami biraki.

Setting up a kagami mochi display

Materials: - Two round mochi in a larger and smaller size (or a store-bought sealed kagami mochi set, or a decorative faux one) - A mandarin or small orange - A small square wooden stand, tray or plate - White paper to lay under the mochi - A strip of decorative paper or a fern leaf (optional)

Effort: easy. Where in the home: a shelf, sideboard, alcove or the center of a living room display.

Fresh mochi will harden and can mold over the display period, so many families now use sealed plastic-covered sets or reusable faux versions that are purely decorative. If you use real mochi, keep it in a cool, dry spot.

More New Year Japanese Decorations for Your Home

1. Pine, plum and bamboo arrangement (sho-chiku-bai). Materials: a ceramic vase, pine branches, a plum branch, a bamboo stem. Effort: easy. The trio is called the "three friends of winter." A simple ikebana-inspired arrangement in the entry or alcove looks elegant and calm.

2. Nanten (heavenly bamboo) stems. Materials: nanten branches with red berries, a narrow vase. Effort: easy. The name nanten sounds like "turning difficulty," so it is a popular good-luck plant at New Year.

3. Zodiac animal figurine. Materials: a small ceramic or wooden figure of the year's zodiac animal, a small mat or stand. Effort: easy. The Japanese zodiac (eto) follows a 12-year cycle; 2027 is the year of the sheep. A figurine on a shelf is a fun, family-friendly touch.

4. Daruma doll. Materials: a daruma doll, a black marker. Effort: easy. Daruma dolls usually come with blank eyes. You fill in one eye when you set a goal and the other when you achieve it. Place it on a shelf where you will see it.

5. Hagoita paddle display. Materials: a decorative hagoita (battledore paddle), a small display stand. Effort: easy. Ornate hagoita are traditionally displayed for a girl's first New Year as a wish for health and protection.

6. Mizuhiki knot ornaments. Materials: mizuhiki cord in red, white, gold or silver. Effort: moderate. Tie simple awaji knots and use them on gift wraps, place settings or as small wall ornaments.

7. New Year table with jubako boxes. Materials: stacked lacquer-style boxes (jubako), a red or white table runner, chopstick wrappers. Effort: moderate. Osechi, the traditional New Year food, is served in these stacked boxes. Even set out empty or with simple foods, they make a striking table centerpiece.

8. Calligraphy or New Year card display. Materials: a hanging scroll, framed calligraphy, or a string line with clips for nengajo (New Year greeting cards). Effort: easy. Displaying received greeting cards on a line is a warm, simple decoration.

9. Hamaya arrow. Materials: a hamaya arrow from a shrine. Effort: easy. These "demon-breaking arrows" are traditionally received at shrines for protection and displayed at home through the year. Treat them respectfully and return them to a shrine when replacing them, as is the custom.

10. Red and white color scheme. Materials: red and white linens, napkins, paper, flowers. Effort: easy. Red and white (kohaku) are traditional celebratory colors in Japan. Using them for table linens and paper decorations ties the whole home together.

When to Put Up and Take Down Japanese New Year Decorations

Most households put decorations up in the last week of December, after the year-end cleaning, and take them down in early to mid January.

General customs (these vary by region and family):

If you are unsure about local custom, follow the general pattern: clean first, decorate a few days before the new year, and take down in the first half of January.

How to Dispose of New Year Decorations Respectfully

Traditional decorations are usually not just thrown in the trash. Many shrines in Japan collect them for ceremonial burning at fire festivals such as dondo-yaki in mid January. Outside Japan, options include:

• Contacting a local Japanese shrine, temple or cultural center to ask whether they collect decorations.
• Removing the paper and plant parts and composting natural materials.
• Wrapping the decoration in clean white paper, optionally sprinkling a little salt as a gesture of purification, before disposing of it separately from regular trash.
• Storing reusable faux decorations carefully wrapped for next year.

Planning Your New Year Japanese Decorations: A Simple Setup

Start with the three essentials and add only what you have room for.

1. Entry: a pair of small kadomatsu or a single shimekazari on the door.
2. Main room: kagami mochi on a stand with a sho-chiku-bai arrangement beside it.
3. Table: red and white linens, mizuhiki accents, and jubako boxes if you have them.
4. Shelf: the zodiac animal figure and a daruma.

Clean the house first. Decorating a clean home is the core of the tradition, and it makes the decorations feel intentional. Our home maintenance checklist is useful for a thorough year-end clean.

Mistakes to Avoid

• Mixing with Christmas decor. Japanese homes typically take Christmas decorations down after December 25 and switch to New Year decor. Keep the two separate: if your Christmas mantel is still up, clear it before setting out the kagami mochi.
• Decorating at the last minute. Putting decorations up on December 31 is traditionally avoided.
• Leaving decorations up too long. Take them down by mid January.
• Treating shrine items casually. Items like hamaya or shrine charms are meant to be treated with care and returned rather than tossed.
• Hanging the shimekazari off-center or crooked. It should sit centered and level over the door.
• Using fresh mochi for a long display in a warm room. It may mold. Use a sealed or faux set.

FAQ

What are the most common new year Japanese decorations?

Kadomatsu at the entrance, shimekazari over the door, and kagami mochi inside the home are the three most common. Pine, bamboo and plum arrangements are also widely used.

What does a kadomatsu decoration symbolize?

It acts as a welcoming marker for the deity of the new year. The pine represents long life, the bamboo represents strength and growth, and plum blossoms, when included, represent renewal.

When should I put up a kadomatsu?

Many people set it up in the last week of December, often around December 28, and avoid December 29 and December 31. It usually comes down around January 7, or January 15 in some regions.

Can I make Japanese New Year decorations myself?

Yes. Small tabletop kadomatsu and shimekazari-style wreaths are simple DIY projects using bamboo, pine, straw rope, paper and a small orange.

Is it respectful to use Japanese New Year decorations if I am not Japanese?

Most people appreciate interest in the tradition when it is approached thoughtfully. Learn what each decoration means, display it the traditional way, and dispose of it respectfully.

What should I do with decorations after New Year?

In Japan, many are burned at shrine fire festivals in mid January. Elsewhere, ask a local Japanese shrine or cultural center, compost natural parts, or wrap and dispose of them separately.