Healthcare in Japan over New Year: only 102 facilities open on 1 January

If you are in Japan between 29 December and 3 January, assume that routine healthcare is not available. This is not an exaggeration. On 1 January 2027, only 102 healthcare facilities in the entire country are open.

Facilities that declared their closure dates and could be confirmed open. Those that declared nothing are excluded, so the real number is likely lower.

The cutoff is 29–30 December

On 29 December, 51,081 facilities are still working — close to a normal weekday. By 30 December that falls to 14,815, and by New Year's Eve to 2,468. If you need an appointment or a repeat prescription, 29 December is effectively the deadline.

If you are in Japan over New Year

• Refill any regular medication by 29 December. After that, getting a prescription becomes difficult for about a week.
• Save #7119 and 119 in your phone now, not when you need them.
• Find your city or ward's New Year on-call clinic list. It is published in December, usually only in Japanese — your accommodation, building manager or workplace can help you read it.
• Keep cash on hand. Clinics open during this period are busy and small ones may not take cards.
• If you have travel insurance, know how to reach them before you need to.

This is cultural, not a service failure

New Year is the most significant holiday in Japan. Clinics are family businesses and they close, as shops and restaurants do. Emergency care continues throughout — the shutdown affects routine care, not emergencies.

Find facilities near you

Browse by prefecture and filter for the New Year period.