Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple in Tokyo's Chuo Ward will offer complimentary hot milk to visitors during their New Year's Eve bell-ringing event on December 31. The initiative, featuring Nokyo Milk provided by Kyodo Milk Industry Co., Ltd. in collaboration with the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations (JA-ZENCHU), aims to promote milk consumption during the winter season.
Last Year's Event
The temple distributed warm milk to help attendees staying warm while waiting in line for the traditional bell-ringing ceremony. This marks the third consecutive year of the hot milk service at the "Joya no Tsudoi" (New Year's Eve Gathering) event.
Supporting Year-End Dairy Consumption
From winter through spring, dairy farms produce more milk while consumer demand decreases during the colder months. The year-end and New Year period presents particular challenges: households consume less milk due to special holiday meals, schools close for winter break (eliminating school lunch demand), and some supermarkets close for the first three days of the new year, making this the lowest milk consumption period of the year.
Since dairy cows must be milked daily and production cannot be quickly adjusted based on demand, preventing winter consumption drops is essential for maintaining stable milk supply throughout the year, including the high-demand summer season.
To address this supply-demand imbalance and support domestic dairy production from a sustainability perspective, Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple began offering hot milk made with Nokyo Milk at their New Year's Eve gathering in 2023.
Event Details
On the day, the temple will serve hot milk made with Nokyo Milk and corn soup prepared with Nokyo Milk. The warm beverages will help visitors warm up after waiting in line in the cold weather.
*Service will end when supplies run out.
Event Overview
- Date: December 31, 2025
- Time: 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM
- Location: Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple (Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha)
- Address: 3-15-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
- Admission: Free
- Access:
- Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line "Tsukiji" Station - Direct connection from Exit 1
- Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line "Shintomicho" Station - Approximately 5 minutes walk from Exit 4
- Toei Subway Asakusa Line "Higashi-ginza" Station - Approximately 5 minutes walk from Exit 5
- Toei Subway Oedo Line "Tsukijishijo" Station - Approximately 5 minutes walk from Exit A1
This event is held as part of the "Milk de Smile Project."
For more details about the "Milk de Smile Project," visit: https://smile.j-milk.jp/
