New Year's like a true local

If you want to have a relaxing winter, I recommend staying at a ryokan with a “kotatsu.” Kotatsu are tables with a futon and a heater that keep your feet (and therefore your body) warm during the cold winter months. Families often stay under this and eat mikan (a type of tangerine sold during the winter) and rice crackers while watching TV. One of the most “Japanese” way to spend New Year’s day is to eat mikan, senbei and mocha while watching “Kohaku Utagassen,” the music show (ranging from old Japanese music to modern J-pop) that many Japanese watch on the night of New Year’s Eve.