[Nyororin]

New Years is not really the time to look to go out partying. There are always a few parties, I hear, but more gatherings of foreigners wanting to party than regular Japanese events. There is as much a culture of going out on New Years as there is for, say, doing the same on Christmas or Thanksgiving in the US.

I believe that a couple television stations do a live concert / ball drop - but don`t expect there to be a big party for it. Most people really are at home watching it on tv with family... Or lined up at a shrine for the first shrine visit of the new year.

I actually feel kind of bad for you visiting that time of year. Pretty much everywhere is closed for the week, and there isn`t a whole lot to do. Probably the very worst time of year to actually try to do stuff in Japan, no matter where you are.