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Summary Oocytes have a remarkable ability to reactivate silenced genes in somatic cells. However, it is not clear how the chromatin architecture of somatic cells affects this transcriptional reprogramming. Here, we investigated the relationship between the chromatin opening and transcriptional activation. We reveal changes in chromatin accessibility and their relevance to transcriptional reprogramming after transplantation of somatic nuclei into Xenopus oocytes. Genes that are silenced, but have pre-existing open transcription start sites in donor cells, are prone to be activated after nuclear transfer, suggesting that the chromatin signature of somatic nuclei influences transcriptional reprogramming. There are also activated genes associated with new open chromatin sites, and transcription factors in oocytes play an important role in transcriptional reprogramming from such genes. Finally, we show that genes resistant to reprogramming are associated with closed chromatin configurations. We conclude that chromatin accessibility is a central factor for successful transcriptional reprogramming in oocytes., Graphical Abstract, Highlights • ATAC-seq reveals chromatin accessibility changes during reprogramming in oocytes • Genes with open promoters are preferentially activated during reprogramming • Transcription factors play a role in transcriptional reprogramming in oocytes • Closed chromatin is associated with reprogramming-resistant genes, Miyamoto et al. show genome-wide changes in chromatin accessibility during transcriptional reprogramming in oocytes using the frog nuclear transfer system. They demonstrate that donor cell chromatin states affect transcriptional reprogramming and changes in open chromatin during reprogramming are associated with specific transcription factors.