LOST IN JAPAN: NEW YEAR, NEW HERE™4 Days / 3 Nights
December 30, 2026 to January 2, 2027
Price range: $1,700 through $4,400
PRICES ARE USD PER PERSON. LIMITED PACKAGES AVAILABLE.
THE L.U.X. PROMISE: THE ART OF TOTAL IMMERSION
ZERO FRICTION
At MASX, our guiding principle is LUX: Live Ultimate Xperiences — where true luxury is the freedom to stay present and fully immersed in the moment. To ensure your connection to the city’s quiet rhythm remains uninterrupted, we operate under a strict, silent protocol:
N.I.T.E. NAVIGATORS
You aren’t led by a “guide.” You are accompanied by a N.I.T.E. Navigator. They are local expert guides who help you Navigate Immersive Travel Experiences. They are your sophisticated peers, your cultural translators, and your partners in after-dark cultural experiences that will open doors that don’t exist on any map.
THE ARTIFACTS
Your journey exists in two worlds. The Black Passport is your shared tactile anchor — a physical relic to hold in your hands. The Digital Artifact is your high-fidelity digital legacy — a cinematic film to revisit together.
A physical book that preserves the story of your experience.
Your story is captured as it happens. Seven days after your experience, you will receive a curated collection of captured moments from the experience.
OVERVIEW
NEW YEAR, NEW HERE: SHOGATSU in TOKYO is a curated immersion into how the New Year is truly lived within Japan’s capital — where centuries-old traditions and modern city life exist side by side.
Structured as a journey from preparation to celebration and renewal, the experience moves through bustling markets, iconic shrines, neighbourhood discoveries, seasonal rituals, and moments of reflection.
From the final rush of New Year preparations at Tsukiji and Ameyoko to the anticipation of New Year’s Eve in Asakusa, from Hatsumode at Meiji Jingu to unexpected discoveries through Lost in Japan, each day reveals a different face of Tokyo. The result is a deeper understanding of a city that is at once vibrant and reflective, traditional and modern, familiar and constantly surprising.
ITINERARY
TOKYO
Day 1: A Different Face
THE WINTER ARRIVAL
The first impression is not speed, but season. Crisp winter air moves through the city as Tokyo settles into the final days of the year. Decorations appear in shopfronts, conversations shift toward the days ahead, and a familiar city begins to reveal a quieter side.
THE NEW YEAR MARKET
At Tsukiji, preparation becomes visible. Families, chefs, and local shoppers move between stalls gathering ingredients for the days ahead. Accompanied by your N.I.T.E. Navigator, conversations and observations transform everyday purchases into stories of tradition, revealing how New Year is prepared, shared, and lived across Tokyo.
WINTER FLAVOURS
The experience continues around the table. Seasonal dishes, warm drinks, and local specialties offer an introduction to winter in Tokyo through flavour. As stories and traditions emerge through food, the city begins to feel less observed and more understood.
CITY LIGHTS BY THE BAY
As night settles across Tokyo Bay, the city reveals another side of itself. From Odaiba's waterfront, winter air sharpens the glow of the skyline as Rainbow Bridge illuminates the harbour below. With a warm dinner and reflections dancing across the water, the journey finds its first moment of pause.
SIGNATURE MOMENTS
Winter Tokyo
Tsukiji Preparations
Local Conversations
Winter Flavors
Tokyo Bay Lights
Day 2: Under City Lights
THE FINAL RUSH
At Ameyoko, Tokyo's preparations reach their peak. Crowds move through packed market streets gathering ingredients, gifts, and New Year essentials before the holiday begins. Amid the energy, your N.I.T.E. Navigator helps transform the bustle into a deeper understanding of how the city prepares for Shogatsu.
WINTER TRADITIONS
Leaving the crowds behind, a quieter side of the day emerges. A winter stroll through Ueno Park leads toward Asakusa, where Nakamise and Senso-ji reveal traditions that have welcomed generations into the New Year. Decorations, seasonal rituals, and the atmosphere of anticipation begin to build across the district.
ABOVE THE CITY
As daylight fades, Tokyo unfolds from above. From Tokyo Skytree, the city stretches endlessly into the distance, illuminated against the winter sky. The final sunset of the year gradually gives way to a sea of lights, offering a moment to pause before the transition ahead.
BETWEEN TWO YEARS
Returning to Asakusa, the atmosphere feels transformed. Crowds gather near Senso-ji as the final hours of the year unfold. Over a bowl of Toshikoshi Soba, tradition and reflection meet before the city crosses quietly into a new beginning.
SIGNATURE MOMENTS
Ameyoko Rush
Asakusa Traditions
Skytree Skyline
Toshikoshi Soba Ritual
Senso-ji Gathering
Day 3: The First Day In Motion
THE FIRST TABLE
The year begins around the table. Seasonal dishes, New Year specialties, and traditions passed down through generations offer a first taste of Shogatsu. More than a meal, breakfast becomes an introduction to the customs, symbolism, and shared rituals that mark the beginning of the year across Japan.
THE FIRST PRAYER
As millions across the country begin their first shrine visit of the year, your journey leads to Meiji Jingu — one of Japan's most iconic Hatsumode destinations. Beneath towering trees and among gathered crowds, prayers are offered, wishes are carried forward, and the New Year begins alongside thousands of others.
LOST IN JAPAN
The experience takes an unexpected turn. Armed only with clues hidden inside your Black Passport, you set out independently as your N.I.T.E. Navigator disappears from view. Through Harajuku, Yoyogi, and the surrounding streets, discoveries unfold naturally — revealing moments, places, and encounters that cannot be planned in advance.
THE EXHALE
As evening approaches, the pace begins to soften. Warmth replaces movement as the day unfolds beside the waterfront, where winter air, comforting flavors, and moments of relaxation create space to slow down. After a day of celebration, discovery, and new beginnings, the first day of the year settles into its own gentle rhythm.
SIGNATURE MOMENTS
Traditional Breakfast
Meiji Jingu Hatsumode
Lost In Japan
Warming Retreat
Shogatsu Spirit
Day 4: A Gentle Return
THE CITY REAWAKENS
The New Year atmosphere begins to evolve once again. Seasonal decorations remain, but the city gradually returns to motion. Shops reopen, streets become livelier, and a different side of Tokyo begins to emerge as the celebrations settle into everyday life.
GINZA TODAY
The New Year reveals a different rhythm in Ginza. Department stores fill with shoppers hunting for seasonal bargains and coveted fukubukuro, while cafés, boutiques, and flagship stores welcome the year's first crowds. The atmosphere feels distinctly modern, offering a contrast to the temples, markets, and traditions experienced in the days before.
ONE FINAL CHOICE
Lunch arrives with a simple challenge. Surrounded by countless possibilities, the decision becomes yours. Guided by instinct, recommendation, or curiosity, the final meal in Tokyo becomes a personal reflection of the journey itself.
MANY FACES, ONE CITY
As the experience draws to a close, the contrasts begin to connect. Bustling markets and quiet shrines. Winter evenings and city skylines. Traditional rituals and modern streets. Different faces, different moments, yet all unmistakably Tokyo. What once felt unfamiliar now feels understood.
SIGNATURE MOMENTS
Ginza Stroll
New Year Shopping
Modern Tokyo
Final Tokyo Lunch
Many Faces, One City
OVERVIEW
NEW YEAR, NEW HERE: SHOGATSU in KYOTO is a curated immersion into the traditions, rituals, and everyday moments that shape the Japanese New Year.
Structured around the days before, during, and after the year turns, the experience moves beyond observation and into participation — through seasonal customs, local conversations, neighbourhood traditions, and shared celebrations.
From the preparations unfolding in Nishiki Market to the echoes of year-end temple bells, from Hatsumode at Yasaka Shrine to unexpected discoveries through Lost in Japan, each day reveals a different side of Kyoto’s New Year season. The result is a deeper understanding of a city where traditions are not preserved behind glass, but quietly carried forward through the people who continue to live them.
ITINERARY
KYOTO
Day 1: Before The Turn
THE WINTER ARRIVAL
The first impression is one of season. Winter settles gently across Kyoto as the final days of the year unfold. Lanterns glow against historic streets, seasonal decorations appear in storefronts, and beneath the city's calm exterior, preparations for the New Year are already underway.
THE KITCHEN OF KYOTO
The approach to New Year can be felt in the smallest details. At Nishiki Market, generations-old shops display ingredients destined for family tables across the city. Alongside your N.I.T.E. Navigator, conversations unfold naturally — revealing favorite dishes, seasonal customs, and the traditions that continue to connect Kyoto's past with its present.
HANDS OF TRADITION
Beyond the market, preparation becomes participation. Through a seasonal New Year activity — whether crafting decorations, shaping mochi, or another local tradition — you step beyond observation and into the customs that continue to bring communities together each year.
EVENING IN GION
As evening settles across Kyoto, the pace softens. Through the historic streets of Gion and the surrounding Yasaka area, tradition and modern life coexist quietly beneath the winter sky. Over dinner and conversation, the journey finds its first moment of reflection as the city prepares for the year ahead.
SIGNATURE MOMENTS
Winter Kyoto
Nishiki Market
Local Conversations
New Year Traditions
Gion At Dusk
Day 2: The Threshold
THOUSAND GATES
The final day of the year begins at Fushimi Inari Taisha. Beneath rows of vermilion torii gates, the atmosphere feels unusually calm before the arrival of New Year's crowds. As preparations continue across the city, the path offers a moment of reflection before the day begins to gather momentum.
SHAPING TRADITION
Preparation becomes participation through a seasonal New Year tradition. Whether shaping mochi, crafting decorations, or taking part in another local custom, the experience offers a deeper understanding of the rituals that help define the closing days of the year in Kyoto.
THE LAST MEAL OF THE YEAR
As evening approaches, a bowl of Toshikoshi Soba marks a tradition shared across Japan. More than a meal, it serves as a symbolic farewell to the year just passed — an opportunity to pause, reflect, and prepare for what lies ahead.
THE TURN OF THE YEAR
As night settles over Kyoto, temple grounds begin to fill with anticipation. Bells echo through the winter air, flames flicker against ancient wooden structures, and the city gathers for one of its most enduring traditions. Surrounded by locals and centuries of ritual, the threshold between one year and the next begins to reveal itself.
SIGNATURE MOMENTS
Fushimi Inari Walk
New Year Crafting
Toshikoshi Soba Ritual
Year-End Bells
Temple Gathering
Day 3: The First Day
THE FIRST MORNING
The first morning of the year arrives at a gentler pace. Around the breakfast table, Osechi — Japan's traditional New Year cuisine — offers a taste of the season through dishes prepared specifically for Shogatsu. As Kyoto slowly awakens beyond the window, the atmosphere feels less like a holiday and more like a tradition being quietly lived.
THE FIRST VISIT
As the city gathers once again, your journey leads to Yasaka Shrine, one of Kyoto's most beloved New Year destinations. Beneath lanterns and among gathered families, prayers are offered, fortunes drawn, and wishes carried forward into the year ahead. Around you, the traditions of Hatsumode unfold as they have for generations.
LOST IN JAPAN
The experience takes an unexpected turn. Armed only with clues hidden inside your Black Passport, you continue without your N.I.T.E. Navigator. Through the streets of Arashiyama and beyond, the path becomes your own to uncover. Along the way, Kyoto reveals itself through quiet discoveries, unexpected encounters, and the everyday moments that often leave the strongest impressions.
AROUND THE TABLE
As evening settles, the journey slows once more. Within the warmth of a traditional Kyoto setting, seasonal flavours, conversation, and local hospitality bring the first day of the year to a gentle close. After a day of traditions, discoveries, and new beginnings, the experience gathers once again around the simple act of sharing a table.
SIGNATURE MOMENTS
Osechi Breakfast
Yasaka Shrine Hatsumode
Arashiyama Wander
Lost In Japan
Machiya Dinner
Day 4: Returning Forward
A DIFFERENT KYOTO
The city appears much as it did when you first arrived, yet your experience of it has changed. Markets, shrines, riverside paths, and neighbourhood streets now feel connected by stories and traditions that were once hidden from view. What seemed unfamiliar has gradually become understood.
KYOTO TODAY
Beyond temples and historic streets, another side of Kyoto emerges. Modern shops, contemporary cafés, and seasonal displays reveal a city that continues to evolve while remaining deeply connected to its traditions. Here, past and present exist not in contrast, but in conversation.
ONE FINAL CHOICE
The journey leaves room for one final discovery. Whether drawn by curiosity, recommendation, or instinct, lunch becomes a personal decision among countless possibilities. In a city shaped by both tradition and creativity, the final meal is uniquely your own.
ALONG THE KAMO
The experience concludes beside the Kamo River, where daily life unfolds at its own pace. Locals gather, conversations drift through the air, and the city continues forward much as it always has. As the New Year settles in, Kyoto offers one final reminder that its beauty is found not only in its landmarks, but in the rhythm of everyday life.
SIGNATURE MOMENTS
Modern Kyoto
New Year Shopping
Final Kyoto Lunch
Kamo River Walk
Traditional Townscape
INCLUDES
- 4 Days / 3 Nights Accommodation
- All transportation within the experience
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner and café moments
- The artifacts (Black Passport & Digital artifact)
- English-speaking N.I.T.E. Navigator
- All admissions, activities, and festival participation outlined in the itinerary
- Curated workshops, rituals, and cultural experiences
- International airfare to Japan
- Travel insurance (highly recommended)
- Visa fees (if applicable)
- Personal expenses & additional purchases outside the curated experience
