Ships sound their horns on New Year’s?

I'm spending New Year's in Japan and I thought of this question when I was brainstorming on what to do then.

Do ships sound their horns at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day?

I ask this because it is a custom here in Singapore, though it's not very widely known even to locals... I happen to live by the sea and my parents used to take me to the beach for a quiet countdown. I was thinking I could do the same near a port somewhere in Japan maybe.

A very Japanese way to spend New Year's is to visit a shrine at midnight. Why come all the way to Japan to do the same thing as you usually do at home?

Thanks for that suggestion, but I've done the midnight shrine visit a few times before, in Tokyo, Kyoto and Gifu... I'm just 4'11" so it gets really uncomfortable to be packed in human jam. plus i'll be in japan alone hence it's not much fun for me anyway. I'd spend it quietly somewhere out of my hotel room. I'd be in the Kyushu region this time, probably with easier access to the sea, so that's just one thought.

If it's a custom aboard ships, then you will probably find it's done wherever those ships are in the world.

I grew up in a port city (Auckland), and have lived in others (Yokohama and Tokyo), but was not aware of the custom.

Another Japanese custom is to watch the Kouhaku UtaGassen song contest on TV while eating mochi and mandarins- maybe you could try that ;-)

the kouhaku! How could I forget! We used to have live broadcast of it here but not anymore, I watched it as a little kid! Thanks for the great idea!

Yes, ships blow their horns all at once at midnight of New Year's Eve here in Yokohama where there is a major touristical port. Not many locals know this either, because there aren't many touristical ports in Japan. They also have fireworks at the Port of Yokohama.

Being a harbor-lover, I visit harbors wherever country I go to. I'm happy just sitting there all day. Watching the ships in a foreign country is like watching the moon in a foreign country. It's the same but different.

I long to hear these horns apart from the traditional worshiping I look forward to. Such I pity I go to my in-laws every year who live far away from harbors.

Hi Uco,

Looks like we share a similar interest. I am not sure what it is, but hearing the horns has more emotional impact for me than hearing people scream "Happy New Year!"

Yokohama has such a great port scene, I love the smell and mist from the sea... Kobe is another favorite port city of mine. I'm looking forward to Nagasaki in December... will let you know how it's like over New Year's there :)