night walks Archives | Tokyo Cheapo

As the weather gets colder, the city glows with spectacular Christmas lights and illuminations. Typically starting in November, some displays stay up until as late as February. Here's our round-up of the best and twinkliest winter illuminations in and around Tokyo this year. Looking for other ways to get into the Christmas spirit? Check out the Cheeriest Christmas Markets in Tokyo. 1. Tokyo Mega Illumination Oi Racecourse is one of the largest light-ups in Tokyo. Unlike the other places on this list, it is a destination in itself. As such, the organizers have pulled out all the stops. In total, there are more than 15 different illumination installations spread over an enormous area -- plus, horses. The ample breathing space is welcome, as some of the other places here can get crowded. Get your tickets in advance. 2. Roppongi Hills Christmas Illumination Going all out with the Christmas lights, Roppongi Hills has a few different spots to visit. Mori Garden will be lit up, and the popular Christmas Market will return. There will be various types of Christmas displays, including a bouquet-inspired tree at Roku-Roku Plaza. But the big guns are saved for Keyakizaka Avenue -- the 400-meter-long street that runs down a gentle slope on the Azabu side of the Hills. Here, there will be about 800,000 LEDs glowing white and blue in the theme of "Snow Blue". 3. Omotesandō Illuminations The mature zelkova trees, wide sidewalks, and fancy shops make Omotesandō one of the top Tokyo illumination spots each winter. There aren't really any gimmicks -- you just go there and walk up and down the street strewn with 900,000 lights. Don't forget to drop into Omotesandō Hills while you are in the area. They’ve unveiled some impressive surprises in recent years, so we’re excited to see what they’ve got planned for this year. 4. Ebisu Garden Place Illumination The Baccarat Eternal Lights champagne-gold illumination at Ebisu Garden Place definitely goes heavy on the amps. The area in front of the main tower will be adorned with fairy lights, illuminated bells, a 100,000-bulb chandelier, and a giant 10-meter-tall Christmas tree. There will also be food trucks and DJs to add to the festive atmosphere. 5. Shibuya Illuminations (various locations) Shibuya goes all-in on winter lights, with different pockets of the neighbourhood glowing in their own style. Outside Shibuya Hikarie, a bright, welcoming snowman sets the tone through late December. Up on Miyashita Park’s rooftop, artificial snow dusts the garden for the season, and over in Sakuragaoka, soft pink LED lights stretch along the slope from January to March, echoing the cherry blossoms to come. A little further toward Harajuku, the most famous illumination in the area returns -- and it deserves its own spotlight. Shibuya Blue Cave Illumination A cave made up of trees (much nicer than a real cave, in our opinion), this Tokyo illumination is one of the most magical, thanks to its impressive colors. It draws huge crowds for good reason; 500,000 LED lights are strung up on an 800-meter route between Shibuya and Harajuku, and you can access it from either station. This year, Christmassy videos will be projected onto the belly of a giant snowman. 6. Marunouchi Illumination The annual Marunouchi Illumination is one of the classier ones. With cobblestone streets, 250 roadside trees, 820,000 eco-friendly champagne-colored bulbs, public sculptures, and the reproduced facades of big banks, this is probably the closest you'll get to a ye olde European-style Christmas light-up in Tokyo. The Marunouchi illuminations are divided into two sections -- the Tokyo Station and Naka-dori Street section and the Gyoko-dori section. Both streets will also feature a Christmas market this year, with a Christmas tree installation on Naka-dori as well as 19 food trucks serving classic seasonal dishes. Pro tip: Don't stop there. Continue the journey by visiting the other illuminations in the area: White KITTE, plus the Hibiya Magic Time Illumination. Also, check out some of the surrounding shops and buildings for a touch of Disney-inspired Christmas cheer with installations from Disney favorites. 7. Tokyo Dome City Winter Illumination Something about the size and all the open space around Tokyo Dome makes it seem really, really cold in winter, but the 1 million twinkly LED lights make up for it. This year’s theme is "Snow Dome”, and for the 21st iteration, organizers are promising their biggest event yet, featuring a 15-meter tree, a luminous snow dome, and the crowd-favorite Sparkle Tunnel. 8. Tokyo Skytree Dream Christmas Tokyo Skytree (and Skytree Town) will be decked out in colorful finery for the festive season. There is normally a popular Christmas market selling items like German-made ornaments, beer, sausages, and more. You can also expect live music and a general wintery feeling all around. 9. Midtown Winter Lights This is hands down one of the most popular winter illumination displays in Tokyo. It usually sees thousands of visitors (and hundreds of security guards) every evening, until the dramatic finale on December 25 with monster crowds. Every year brings something different. Next door, take your chance on the ice at Midtown Ice Rink. 10. Yomiuriland Jewellumination Yomiuriland is an amusement park less than an hour from Shinjuku Station, heading west on the Odakyu Line. The winter illumination at Yomiuriland is justifiably named "Jewellumination" seeing as Motoko Ishii -- a famous Japanese lighting designer -- blingified the entire amusement park with literally millions of LED lights. You can choose between a viewing ticket or a park pass ticket, which includes access to all of the rides. Get your tickets in advance. Pro tip: While you're there, also try the Hana Akari bamboo-light illuminations next door. 11. White KITTE Held within the KITTE shopping mall next to Tokyo Station, White KITTE is a unique Christmas light-up event featuring real fir trees and white decorations. With the Marunouchi Illumination and a light-up in Hibiya happening nearby, this is sure to be a hugely popular free show again. 12. Shinjuku Southern Terrace Illumination These annual illuminations around the south side of Shinjuku Station always attract a crowd and are worth checking out if you're in the area. There are usually around 170,000 LED bulbs -- making for a rather festive atmosphere. 13. Meguro River Illumination See the famous cherry blossom view of Meguro River in winter -- well, sort of. The area along the riverbank between Gotanda and Osaki Station will shine with nearly 350,000 pink-colored LEDs from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. every night. The lights will apparently be powered by cooking-oil waste from local homes and businesses. 14. Tokyo German Village Don't let the name fool you; these illuminations are actually in Chiba. Although Tokyo German Village is most famous for its beer gardens and traditional fairground rides, it also hosts magnificent winter illuminations. With giant glowing pretzels and a rainbow tunnel, it is a great choice for families with young children. 15. Lake Sagami Illuminations Lake Sagami’s Mori Mori theme park hosts the Kanto region’s biggest light-up, featuring six million LEDs, a giant Christmas tree, and a full-blown music show. Ride a glowing slide, pedal through the night sky, or drift over the park on the Rainbow Lift. There’s also a Tamagotchi zone, bubble show, and even a fire-truck-turned-LED-tree this year. Honorable mentions Catch these other light-up events in winter, too: Yorunoyo Yokohama Winter Illumination A relatively new addition to the winter calendar, Yorunoyo Yokohama Winter Illumination is actually expected to become one of the best illumination spots near Tokyo. Enjoy glistening illuminations at some of Yokohama's most popular locations, including Sakuragicho, Minatomirai, Chinatown, Motomachi, and the waterfront. Autumn Evening Illumination at Rikugien Gardens OK, it says "autumn", but at least half of it is in winter, so it still counts. This is the "anti-Christmas" with up-lighting illuminating the brilliant hues of the changing autumn leaves. This year, it will cost to enjoy the nighttime display. If you visit in spring, you can also catch some excellent cherry blossom-themed displays too. Kioi Winter Kioi Winter at Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioicho features a 10-meter-high tree designed by art group MIRRORBOWLER. You can get some striking pictures from nearby Benkei Bridge, which you will cross if you are coming from Akasaka Mitsuke. Typically, the Christmas Tree stays up until the 25th but the illumination goes on until February. Shinjuku Twinkle Park Despite being a relatively small illumination, it is worth checking out if you are in Shinjuku. From the end of November onwards, Shinjuku Central Park is lit up with thousands of LED lights and other types of installations. Omohara Christmas Illuminations Just walking down Omotesandō's wide, gingko-lined avenues is quite enough to get the festive feels, but each year, the Omokado shopping complex also puts on a show. This year's display is designed to look like a forest with falling stars. From December, creative group NAKED will add sparkle to the scene. Shonan Enoshima Illumination Shonan Enoshima Illumination is one of the most dazzling. Set against the backdrop of Enoshima and Katase Beach, you can see famous landmarks such as the Enoshima Sea Candle and Dragon Love Bell adorned with bright lights. There is also an amazing display of floating chandeliers covered in Swarovski crystals and even lights inside Enoshima Iwaya Cave. 100% worth the trip from Tokyo. While we do our best to ensure it's correct, information is subject to change. Post first published in November 2015. Updated every year and throughout the winter season. Last updated by Patrick Balfe in October 2025.

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