The trend for New Year's Eve parties in Tokyo has swung from budget-busting blowouts to smaller underground gatherings of friends. It's obvious why considering only the costs and competition for artists and venues, skyrocketing air fares, premium hotel fees and all the surprise etceteras. Plus, it's a helluva lot of stress and exhaustion to start your year on.
The glory-year parties to ring in 2000 through 2005 were awesome, but usually sent us home with a wicked flu. Which we probably would have contracted anyway by spending New Year's Day outside in the freezing cold visiting shrines. The high-water mark was 2004, when the extra Leap Day bumped Dec. 25 and 31 into the weekend and we scored holiday bashes just six days apart. We all paid for that.
With both holidays totally off the weekend next year, the chances are good that we won't have the energy for New Year's Eve, provided that organizers are astute enough to book venues now for the three days beforehand.