Chinese New Year in Japan: busy airports, normal Tokyo traffic; October National Day can hit a Japanese long weekend. Queues, traffic, Alphard or Hiace.
Lunar (Chinese) New Year and China's October National Day break are the two busiest times for Chinese-speaking families flying to Japan. Both are long holidays at home, but they look quite different on the Japanese side: Lunar New Year is an ordinary day in Japan, while October can coincide with a Japanese long weekend. Here is what each means for your airport transfer, and how to pick the right vehicle for the family.
Chinese New Year in Japan: business as usual, busy at the airport
Japan celebrates New Year on 1 January; Lunar New Year is not a public holiday (see the Cabinet Office list of national holidays). Roads and shops in Tokyo run on a normal weekday pattern. The crowding is at the airport, where flights from Chinese-speaking regions arrive in clusters and immigration queues can be long.
Airport pickups include 90 minutes of free waiting for exactly this: immigration and baggage claim. Give your flight number when booking so our team can follow your arrival, and message us if the queue is clearly going to take longer.
Lunar New Year falls in late January or February, which is winter in Japan. Down jackets and boots fill suitcases fast, so list any oversized cases separately when you enter your luggage count.
October National Day: watch for Japan's three-day weekend
The second Monday of October is Japan's Sports Day, creating a three-day weekend (same Cabinet Office list). If your trip overlaps it, locals are travelling too and expressways towards Hakone, Lake Kawaguchiko and other getaways are more likely to be congested, so allow extra time for those journeys (see booking a Japan airport transfer in peak season). Within Tokyo the impact is smaller; airport fares into Tokyo are the same for every ward, with tolls and parking included.
Mid-Autumn Festival is not a holiday in Japan either; the city runs as normal.
How many of you, and which vehicle
| Your party | Suggested vehicle |
|---|---|
| 5–7 people, up to 6 bags | Alphard (7 seats, 6 bags) |
| 8–10 people, or 7–9 bags | Hiace (10 seats, 9 bags) |
| More than 10 people or more luggage | Two vehicles; note it when booking and our team will suggest a combination |
Pricing is per vehicle, not per person. From Haneda to central Tokyo, ten people sharing a Hiace pay about ¥1,700 each, and seven in an Alphard about ¥2,143 each. From Narita, that is about ¥2,700 and ¥3,143. For the space difference, see Alphard vs Hiace.
Travelling with little ones? Child seats and booster seats are available; just note ages and how many you need. With grandparents along, see our multigenerational family trip transport guide.
Once your holiday flights are confirmed, book the transfer at the same time on the booking page with your flight, party size and luggage count.
FAQ
- Is Lunar New Year a holiday in Japan?
- No. Japan celebrates New Year on 1 January, and Lunar New Year is an ordinary working day. Official public holidays are listed by Japan's Cabinet Office.
- We are a family of eight with luggage. One car or two?
- The Hiace seats 10 and takes 9 pieces of luggage, so eight people with up to 9 bags fit in one. With more bags or bulky items such as strollers, note them when booking and our team will suggest a vehicle or two.
- Immigration queues are long at Chinese New Year. Will the airport transfer driver wait?
- Airport pickups include 90 minutes of free waiting. If you expect to take longer, tell our team and they will confirm the arrangement.
- Will there be traffic if we visit during the October National Day break?
- The second Monday of October is Japan's Sports Day, making a three-day weekend. If your trip overlaps it, expressways to out-of-town areas are more likely to be congested, so allow extra time.