The Holiday and Travel Magazine: A Happy Holiday Season in Tokyo

Monday, 1 December 2025

A Happy Holiday Season in Tokyo

Marunouchi Illuminations 2025
Experience Tokyo’s Sparkling Winter Magic

Tokyo transforms into a luminous wonderland during the winter holiday season. As nights grow longer and cooler, the city lights up with dazzling illuminations, festive decorations and lively Christmas markets that bring a joyful spirit to every neighbourhood. From glittering boulevards to towering skyline views, Tokyo offers unforgettable winter experiences that make holiday travel truly special.

Marunouchi: A Golden Corridor of Light

The Marunouchi district is one of Tokyo’s most elegant winter destinations. The annual Marunouchi Illuminations 2025 run from November 13, 2025, to February 15, 2026, turning the stylish Marunouchi Naka-dori Street into a glowing champagne-gold boulevard. More than 250 illuminated trees line the cobblestone street, creating a warm and festive atmosphere perfect for an evening stroll.

Until December 25, food trucks add to the seasonal atmosphere, offering hot drinks and treats to enjoy as you wander. Nearby Gyoko-dori Avenue, connecting Tokyo Station with the Imperial Palace Outer Gardens, also shines with beautiful illuminations. At night, the corridor of light leading toward the historic station building becomes one of Tokyo’s most enchanting holiday scenes.

Adding even more magic to the season, the area hosts the Disney-themed event “MARUNOUCHI BRIGHT HOLIDAY 2025 ‘Disney JOYFUL MOMENTS’” from November 13, 2025, to January 4, 2026. Iconic Disney-inspired monuments appear throughout Marunouchi, bringing favourite film moments to life and creating memorable photo opportunities around every corner.

TOKYO SKYTREE TOWN: A World of Winter Lights

“TOKYO SKYTREE TOWN Dream Christmas 2025”

At TOKYO SKYTREE TOWN, one of Japan’s most popular attractions, the “TOKYO SKYTREE TOWN Dream Christmas 2025” celebration runs from November 6 to December 25. The tower glows with special festive lighting, and the observation deck is decorated with winter ornaments and themed photo spots.

After sunset, an impressive video projection spanning a 110m by 2m window-screen adds spectacular seasonal colour to the night view. Across the entire complex, more than 530,000 lights illuminate trees, pathways and plazas. Visitors can enjoy a Christmas market filled with warm snacks and discover the perfect holiday gift as they wander through this winter wonderland.

Roppongi: A City of Blue and Silver Light

“SNOW & BLUE”

Roppongi Hills is home to one of Tokyo’s most iconic winter displays. From November 4 to December 25, Keyakizaka Street is lined with 930,000 LED lights in the “SNOW & BLUE” colour theme. This 400-meter avenue creates a silvery winter world, perfectly framing one of the most photographed views of Tokyo Tower.

Warm up at the nearby Christmas market in O-yane Plaza, where mulled wine, sausages and seasonal sweets create a festive European-style atmosphere. It’s an ideal spot to take a break, enjoy the scenery and make the most of winter in Tokyo.

Also in Roppongi, Tokyo Midtown hosts a light installation featuring bubbles and snow from November 13 to December 25, with its unique lighting effects continuing until December 12. The display transforms Midtown Garden into a dreamlike landscape. One of Tokyo’s largest outdoor skating rinks also opens on the lawn from November 21, 2025, to February 23, 2026, offering the chance to skate by day and glide under shimmering lights at night.

SHIBUYA SKY: Holiday Views from Above

SHIBUYA SKY

Rising 47 stories high, Shibuya Scramble Square offers panoramic winter views from its observation facility SHIBUYA SKY. From November 6 to December 25, a special installation transforms the 46th-floor indoor observation corridor with immersive lighting and 3D sound effects, making the city’s nightscape feel vividly within reach.

On the rooftop, a pillar of light shaped like a Christmas tree illuminates the sky, accompanied by a light-and-sound performance every 30 minutes from 7 p.m. Tickets are required and can be booked online up to two weeks in advance, making it a popular holiday highlight for visitors seeking spectacular seasonal scenery.

Yomiuriland: Tokyo’s Grandest Winter Light Festival

Yomiuriland

Just outside central Tokyo in the Tama area, Yomiuriland hosts Japan’s largest-scale winter illumination event, the Jewel Illumination. Running from October 23, 2025, to April 5, 2026, this annual festival bathes the amusement park in jewel-toned LED lights.

Visitors can enjoy more than 40 attractions, including roller coasters glowing against the night sky and a Ferris wheel that offers breathtaking views of the illuminated park. At the pool area, three different fountain shows run every 15 minutes from 5 p.m., featuring 272 water jets, lasers and bursts of flame in a spectacular display of colour and motion.

Celebrate the Season in Tokyo’s Brightest Destinations

Whether you’re admiring champagne-gold trees in Marunouchi, skating under twinkling lights in Roppongi, enjoying the skyline from SHIBUYA SKY or immersing yourself in the glowing fantasy of Yomiuriland, Tokyo’s winter holiday season offers endless ways to feel festive. Each neighbourhood brings its own charm, creating magical memories for travellers who visit this time of year.