New Year’s Eve 2019-2020

Hi,

I would like to know in which city I should spend the new year eve, Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto?
I am looking for some lights shows, (I understood fireworks shows are uncommon in Japan!).
Even if Temples have some fireworks/ lights shows beside the bell rings, it would be nice.
Is there some common habits Japanese do in the new year eve?
Please also give me some address where in the city I can go. It is my first trip to Japan (crowds does not bother me at all) and I'd like to have a great/ outstanding experience especially for the new year eve.

Fireworks? You are in the wrong country.
Read this: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2276.html

I would stay in Tokyo or Kyoto, if you can get a room this late. Good luck.

You need to understand the significance of New Year in Japanese culture.
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2064.html
https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/new-year-traditions...

If youfre considering spending New Years Eve 2020 in Tokyo you should make firm plans because itfs sure to be remarkable. Besides the fireworks events there will be plenty of parties. Be sure you plan in advance since prices can be high.

Apparently YouTube and some photos online say different to what is written here about NY eve.
There are some videos showing light shows and fireworks.

I thought I can find a link online to some NY events in Japan.

I come from a city where 20 millions human live, so I am used to crowds.

Yokohama is about the only city that I know has fireworks.
Illuminations can be seen in cities across Japan:
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2304.html

Ah, YouTube. That's as accurate as Wikipedia.

In Japan, New Yearfs Eve is not a night for parties like in many countries. Japanese people spend time with their families and enjoy traditional food and rituals.

New Year is full of unique traditions, in particular, one before the new year begins, when the Japanese look back on the past year and bid farewell to old worries as a way to start fresh. A "forget-the-year partyh is an end of year party for friends and coworkers to forget the trouble and stress of the year about to finish. More information: https://www.jrailpass.com/blog/new-year-in-japan

January 1st symbolizes joy and no obligations. Japanese homes are decorated with pine, bamboo, and plum trees to ring in the New Year. It is customary for people to start the year by viewing the first sunrise believed to be representative for the whole year that has begun.

About fireworks, they are not typical at New Year. But if you wish to celebrate this festivity with fireworks, in Tokyo, youfll have to travel to Yokosuka and the Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise or Tokyo Disney.

So would you say there will be a difference if I spend the new year eve in Osaka or Tokyo? if yes, what would the difference be?

Thanks

No. New year is significant across all of Japan and as such you won't find the party nights you'd be finding elsewhere in the world.

In all my years of watching New Year festivities reported in the news on television, I have yet to see ANYWHERE (whichever country I was in) show anything on television that resembled fireworks in Japan. The reporting has always begun from New Zealand and Australia, with the latter using Harbor Bridge as the setting. All the reports show fireworks, except when they go to Japan where it has been the ringing of the bell 108 times in a somewhat somber atmosphere. In my 54 years, I have yet to see any "hanabi" as a means to welcome the New Year in Japan.

That's right. Come to Australia. Sydney's NYE fireworks are the best. The Harbour Bridge, Opera House and city skyline are iconic and the party goes all night if you like that kind of thing. Japanese new year is meaningful and rich in tradition, and completely the opposite to the standard NYE worldwide.