5 Top Places To See The Winter Illuminations in Tokyo Japan

Tokyo’s Winter Illuminations are a must-see!

As winter approaches and the days grow shorter, Japanese cities begin to decorate specific areas with beautiful lights. 

Streets transform into a magical wonderland, illuminated by thousands of sparkling lights.

It becomes the perfect place to embrace the holiday spirit while joining the Japanese in celebration of this enchanting season.

In Tokyo, these pockets of holiday cheer transform sections of neighborhoods into winter wonderlands.

The Japanese celebrate Christmas differently from Western countries.

Individual homes aren’t decorated with Christmas trees or wreaths.

In Japan, especially in Tokyo, specific areas create stunning displays of twinkling lights called Illuminations.

It’s no surprise, given that many traditional Japanese festivals have featured lighted floats for centuries.

If you love the feeling of walking among trees covered with twinkling lights, then Tokyo in the winter will enchant you.

From mid-November through January, certain neighborhoods in Tokyo transform themselves with beautiful decorations and a festive ambiance.

Experience the dazzling Winter Lights in Tokyo with our guide to the top 5 illumination spots.

So where can you experience the Winter Illuminations in Tokyo?

1. Midtown Yaesu Illumination

The Yaesu Complex, on the east side of Tokyo Station, is one of the recent additions to the winter illuminations in Tokyo.

The Yaesu Complex and the surrounding streets are decorated with golden and multi-colored lighted trees.

A walk through these illuminated streets is like walking through a wonderland.

But the centerpiece of the decorations is a striking 20-foot tall (6 meters) Nebuta Santa Claus.

Nebuta is a traditional papier-mache lantern float, the finest of which are crafted in the Aomori region.

In addition to its size, this Nebuta Santa Claus is special because it was built by many of the artisans who designed and built the famous Aomori Nebuta floats.

This display provides an opportunity to see a traditional Nebuta float right in the heart of Tokyo.

To make this display even more fun, a special light show synchronized with festive music was created.

The light and music show runs every twenty minutes. But it’s so lovely that the wait is truly worth it!

To get to the Yaesu Complex cross the street from the Tokyo Station east (Yaesu) exit.

2. Tokyo Dome City Winter Illumination

Tokyo Dome City is a great place to spend a day in Tokyo.

It’s home to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame, an amusement park, and the Tokyo Dome, making it a must-visit spot.

From the end of November until February, Tokyo Dome City is transformed with a collection of light-up displays.

The festival-like atmosphere is contagious, and you will laugh at the comedy shows even if you don’t understand Japanese.

The extensive space between the Tokyo Dome and the amusement park is filled with lights and game stalls.

An artificial tree lighted with LED lights is placed in the center of the venue. They even have a tree-lighting ceremony.

The shops and street vendors provide a variety of traditional and festival foods.

Furthermore, special events fill the areas around the Tokyo Dome and the nearby amusement park, making it an ideal spot to enjoy an evening in Japan.

To reach Tokyo Dome City use the Mita Subway Line or the JR Chuo Line. In both cases the nearest station is Suidobashi.

3. Marunouchi Illuminations

You’ll find some of Tokyo’s best illuminations on the west side of Tokyo Station, in Marunouchi.

While several streets in the area are decorated, Nakadori Street is where the main action happens.

Nakadori Street is home to many high-end stores that create beautiful holiday display windows.

In addition, many of the lobbies are beautifully decorated with Christmas ornaments and even Christmas trees.

On weekends, the street becomes pedestrian-only, allowing you to easily get lost in wonder as you enjoy the lights on the trees and the holiday window displays.

Also, be on the lookout for little alleys that lead to charming plazas, some of the prettiest illuminations can be found in these courtyards.

When we visited Nakadori Street many of the decorations were themed on Disney Characters.

Special displays were scattered throughout the area and a scavenger-type contest requiring you to take a selfie with the different displays was running.

It was so much fun to search and find the displays and see the people lining up to take their selfies at the display.

To reach Nakadori Street make sure you exit Tokyo Station from the Marunouchi (west) side. Cross the plaza and walk towards the Imperial Palace. You will find Naka-Dori on your right side.

4. Roppongi Hills

Roppongi Hills is one of the first places to light up for the season and has some of the loveliest illuminations in Tokyo.

The illuminations begin at the Mori Garden. The trees surrounding the iconic spider sculpture get dressed in multicolor lights creating a canopy of light around the garden.

The Mori Garden hosts a Christmas Market from the end of November until December 25.

Wander from the Mori Garden to the main skyscraper. On your way, you will encounter beautiful views of the decorated streets.

From the high vantage point of the Roppongi Main Tower, you can enjoy a stunning view of Tokyo Tower gleaming behind the lighted trees of the street below.

But the most breathtaking view is along Keyakizaka Street.

The trees on this wide avenue are beautifully illuminated by thousands of blue lights creating a winterlike landscape.

This area is so famous and beloved by the Japanese that locals flood in as soon as the illuminations go up.

A police officer even stops traffic periodically, letting people stand in the middle of the street for photos while drivers wait patiently.

Be patient and you will get some amazing photographs too.

The best way to get to Roppongi is to use the Hibiya or Odeo subway lines and get off at Roppongi Station.

Take the exit towards the Mori Garden or follow the crowd.

5. Odaiba City

Odaiba is one of the most modern areas of Tokyo. It is built on an artificial island in Tokyo Bay.

Seaside Park, two huge shopping malls, and many other attractions keep you busy on this island for at least half a day.

But when nighttime comes, the surrounding areas of the Seaside Park become illuminated with lovely colors and lights.

Since much of the area is pedestrian walkways you can enjoy the views and the lights without worrying about cars.

In addition, this area has become famous for viewing the Rainbow Bridge.

But beware, the Rainbow Bridge is only illuminated in rainbow colors at year’s end and new-year holidays.

The rest of the year the bridge is illuminated in white.

If you decide to visit Odaiba, remember to bring a jacket or windbreaker for when the sun sets.

Odaiba’s location in the middle of Tokyo Bay means winds and chilly temperatures are common after the sun goes down.

To visit Odaiba City, take the subway or a JR train to Shimbashi Station, depending on where you are staying.

From Shimbashi Station take the Yurikamome Train to Odaiba.

Tips for Visiting the Winter Illuminations in Tokyo

• Tokyo Winter Illuminations’ start dates will change from year to year. To find out the dates for this year visit the Japan-guide website.
• Since the sun goes down earlier in winter, you can see many of the lights starting around 4 PM.
• Have a scarf, gloves and a warm hat. It gets cold and sometimes windy as night falls.
• Wear comfortable, sturdy shoes.
• Tokyo’s stations often have extensive underground areas. Using Google to choose the best exit helped us reach our destination easier, and more direct while staying out of the weather.
• Expect lots of people. Locals love their illuminations and they come out to enjoy this time every day of the week.
• Enjoy the snacks and foods of the season. Many of the traditional treats have special holiday flavors.

A Celebration of Winter in Tokyo

The Japanese celebrate the change of Seasons with many festivals.

Around the world their Sakura and Cherry Blossom festivals are famous.

In the summer they celebrate with Fireworks Festivals and in Autumn they go Momiji-gari or red leaf hunting.

In winter they celebrate the beauty of the season with Illuminations.

If you want to explore even more Winter Illuminations throughout Tokyo you can find additional spots through the Japan-guide website.

Many other cities in Japan also dress up with their illumination displays for the winter season.

If you have travel plans beyond Tokyo, check the local websites of your destinations to discover even more winter illumination spots.

Finding such a display of beautiful lights during our visit to Japan was an unexpected but wonderful surprise.

We planned our visit to see the best of the autumn leaves and were delighted to also experience the winter illuminations.

If like us, you love Christmas Lights, then we hope this post on the 5 Top Places to see the Winter Illumination in Tokyo will inspire you to visit during the winter season.