Tokyo in Lights: Must-See Winter Illuminations This Season!
As the autumn foliage season wraps up, Tokyo’s winter season arrives with one of the city’s most loved traditions: illuminations. From late November, streets, parks, and entire neighborhoods transform into glowing nighttime landmarks filled with color, music, and holiday energy. Some displays cover long boulevards, others turn plazas into small winter worlds, and many add seasonal markets, trees, and performances that make an ordinary evening feel special.
Every year brings new themes and installations, and 2025 is no exception, with the city offering a wide range of places to explore after sunset. If you’re looking for festive spots, photo-friendly scenes, or just a cozy winter walk, Tokyo’s illuminations are one of the best ways to enjoy the season!
1. Yomiuriland “Jewellumination”
📍 Yomiuriland, Inagi City, Tokyo outskirts (Map)
📅 October 23, 2025 – April 5, 2026
⏰ 4:00PM – 8:30PM (last entry ~8:00PM)
💴 Entry fee (theme park entry: ~¥1,000–¥1,800; one-day pass: ~¥2,500–¥5,000)
Yomiuriland’s annual “Jewellumination” is one of Tokyo’s largest and most elaborate winter light displays, designed by lighting artist Motoko Ishii. The park transforms into a series of themed zones using millions of jewel-toned LEDs that cover fountains, pathways, and attractions. Visitors can enjoy rides at night, seasonal food stalls, and panoramic views of the illuminated park from the Ferris wheel.
This year’s sub-theme focuses on warm orange lighting in the Sun Plaza to express a “step toward new beginnings.” Some standout attractions include the Jewelry Promenade, a 180-meter avenue completely covered in lights, and the Crystal Passage, one of the park’s most popular spots, featuring a 140-meter tunnel of shimmering illumination.
2. Tokyo Mega Illumination
📍 Oi Racecourse, Shinagawa City (Map)
📅 November 1, 2025 – January 11, 2026
⏰ 4:30PM – 9:00PM (last entry 8PM)
💴 Entry fee (adults range ¥800–¥1,600; children ¥400–¥900. Tip: Discounted advance tickets are available)
Tokyo Mega Illumination at Oi Racecourse is one of the most impressive winter light events in the city, known for its large-scale installations and immersive atmosphere. The racecourse grounds transform into a nighttime illumination park with wide open spaces, themed areas, and interactive photo spots. The show features classic Edo-style scenery, glowing cherry blossoms, dramatic light tunnels that stretch across the track, and choreographed fountain shows with water and lights dancing to music.
One of the main features is the “Twinkle Tunnel”, where shifting colors and music create a dynamic walkway of lights. Another is the “Edo Sakura Forest,” an area filled with illuminated cherry blossom trees that sparkle in soft pink tones. Visitors can also explore the “Aurora Forest,” enjoy seasonal food stalls, or stop by the stables area to meet the racecourse’s miniature horses, another signature aspect of this event!
3. Yebisu Garden Place Winter Illumination
📍 Yebisu Garden Place, Shibuya City (Map)
📅 November 8, 2025 – March 1, 2026
⏰ 4:00PM – 11:00PM
💴 Free
🔗 Official site (in Japanese)
Yebisu Garden Place is known for having one of Tokyo’s most elegant winter illuminations, combining European-style architecture with warm golden lights that give the entire complex a refined holiday atmosphere. The central plaza is lined with glowing trees and archways, creating a beautiful pathway that leads to the event’s highlight: the famous Baccarat chandelier, one of the largest in the world, displayed inside a glass pavilion and illuminated beautifully at night.
Surrounding it, Ebisu’s central plaza and promenade are decorated with thousands of lights and a 10-meter Christmas tree that adds to the festive look of the area. There’s also a small European-style Christmas Marché (through Dec 25) where you can grab hot wine, snacks, and holiday gifts.
4. Tokyo Midtown Christmas
🗺️ Tokyo Midtown, Minato City (Map)
📅 November 13 – December 25, 2025
⏰ 5:00PM – 11:00PM
💴 Free
Tokyo Midtown’s Christmas event features a series of winter installations across Midtown Garden and the plaza, with trees along the main walkway wrapped in warm gold lights and small displays placed throughout the grounds. The lighting areas connect the different outdoor sections of Midtown, making it easy to walk through and see the various decorations.
Inside the complex, the Galleria hosts the Santa Tree, a Christmas tree decorated with dozens of small Santa figures, while live music performances take place during the Christmas Ensemble on December 6 and 7. From November 21, the Midtown Ice Rink opens for the winter season, and the event also includes a Christmas market, interior decorations, and smaller seasonal displays throughout the shopping and dining areas, so visitors can enjoy several winter activities as they move between the illuminated areas.
5. Marunouchi Illumination
🗺️ Marunouchi Nakadōri, near Tokyo Station (Map)
📅 November 13, 2025 – February 15, 2026
⏰ 4:00PM – 11:00PM (extended to 12:00AM in December)
💴 Free
Marunouchi’s winter lights return with their signature champagne-gold glow, illuminating the trees along Marunouchi Nakadōri and the surrounding streets near Tokyo Station. Millions of lights wrap the trees along Nakadōri, creating a long corridor of warm gold that reflects beautifully off the district’s façades. This year also includes special decorations along Gyokodōri, the road that connects Tokyo Station to the Imperial Palace.
During the season, the Marunouchi Street Park project adds more festive elements. Gyokodōri features its first-ever lineup of real fir Christmas trees, along with Christmas “hütte”-style restaurants serving dishes like hand-wrapped pizzas, stews, and hot drinks. Over on Marunouchi Nakadōri, visitors will find the area’s largest Christmas market to date, with 19 stalls from local shops, hotels, and restaurants offering winter snacks, holiday goods, and antiques. Tables and chairs are set up directly on the street so you can relax under the lights, and there’s street music after 6:00PM on weekdays and throughout the day on weekends and holidays, adding to the seasonal atmosphere.
6. Hibiya Magic Time Illumination
🗺️ Tokyo Midtown Hibiya & Hibiya area, Chiyoda City (Map)
📅 November 13, 2025 – February 28, 2026
⏰ 4:00PM – 11:00PM
💴 Free
Tokyo Midtown Hibiya (near Ginza) hosts the HIBIYA Magic Time Illumination, bringing a bit of movie-like magic to the city. The theme is “magical moments,” and this winter the centerpiece is an 8-meter Christmas tree Christmas tree inspired by Disney’s newly released Zootopia 2. The tree stands in a plaza surrounded by glowing cube installations that shift color and shape and create a dynamic 3D effect. A short walk away, on Hibiya Nakadōri Street, the “Area Illumination” shifts in two acts: first warm, lively "Hot Jazz” colors until December 25, then cooler, blue-toned “Nocturn” scenes stretching into February.
A short walk away, Hibiya Step Square features this year’s new highlight: the Tree of Eternal Heart, a katsura tree wrapped in silvery-white lights with a single red heart-shaped ornament at its center. Nearby, the Park View Garden on the 6th floor continues the atmosphere with white-lit plants and gentle color accents, offering a quieter place to enjoy the lights and look out over the city.
7. Odaiba Illumination “YAKEI” & Light Walk Odaiba
📍 DECKS Tokyo Beach, Minato City (Map) | Symbol Promenade Park, Koto City (Map)
📅 November 14 – February 27 (Odaiba Illumination) | December 4 – December 27 (Light Walk Odaiba)
⏰ 5:00PM – 12:00AM (Odaiba Illumination) | 4:00PM – 9:30PM (Light Walk Odaiba)
💴 Free
🔗 Official site (Odaiba Illumination) | Official site (Light Walk Odaiba)
Odaiba Illumination Yakei covers the waterfront promenade of DECKS Tokyo Beach in soft golden lights, creating one of the most scenic nighttime views along Tokyo Bay. A 20-meter Daiba Memorial Tree anchors the display, surrounded by cozy rest areas where you can take a break and enjoy the lights. One of the most photographed spots is the heart-shaped sculpture on the terrace, framing the tree, the Rainbow Bridge, and the Tokyo skyline in a single view. Nearby, the Illusion Dome adds an interactive touch: its walls sense movement and shift the projected colors as visitors approach. A winter swing also appears for the season, offering a playful photo opportunity with the bay as a backdrop.
A short walk away, Light Walk Odaiba turns Symbol Promenade Park into a long-illuminated pathway leading toward Dream Bridge. The route is lined with themed displays such as the Seagull Clock, Light Gates, and Talk Gardens, Light Domes. At the end of the walk, the Light Garden spreads across Dream Bridge, divided into ocean- and forest-inspired zones for an immersive finish. Food trucks gather around Circus Kitchen during the event period, serving warm snacks and drinks that make the winter walk even more enjoyable.
8. Tokyo Snow Dome City
🗺️ Tokyo Dome City, Bunkyō City (Map)
📅 November 17, 2025 – March 1, 2026
⏰ 5:00PM – 11:00PM
💴 Free (illumination area), attractions are paid
Tokyo Dome City’s winter display takes on a snow-inspired theme this year: “SNOW DOME”, with million LED lights turning the amusement complex into a wintry wonderland. One of the main features is the large interactive snow dome installation; when you ring the bell, the globe lights up and the miniature town inside shifts through different winter scenes. Nearby, the illuminated sparkle tunnel creates a path of cool white light where visitors can walk beneath frost-like arches.
Across the park you’ll also find the “Wonder Snow Tree,” a 15-meter illuminated tree that produces a bubble show set to music every fifteen minutes. On select days in late December, the area hosts special seasonal events, including Santa greetings, free Moomin puppet-animation screenings, live concerts, and Christmas market stalls featuring Nordic-inspired goods and snacks. All together, the lights, shows, and seasonal events make Tokyo Dome City a great place to enjoy the holiday season.
9. Omotesandō Fendi Illumination
📍 Omotesandō Avenue, Shibuya City (Map)
📅 December 1, 2025 – January 5, 2026
⏰ 5:00PM – 10:00PM
💴 Free
🔗 Official site (in Japanese)
Omotesandō’s annual illumination transforms the wide, tree-lined avenue into a soft golden walkway. About 150 zelkova trees from the Jingubashi intersection to Omotesandō intersection are wrapped in warm lights, giving the entire boulevard a gentle holiday glow. The long stretch of illuminated trees makes the street feel especially inviting for an evening stroll.
Along the route, Omotesandō Hills adds its own seasonal atmosphere with a 10-meter indoor Christmas tree decorated with about 1,000 prism ornaments and featuring a light and music performance every 20 minutes. The complex also hosts small holiday events and seasonal pop-ups, and nearby cafés and boutiques release limited winter treats. It is a stylish area to enjoy the lights at your own pace, take photos, or unwind after shopping in Aoyama or Harajuku.
10. Shibuya Blue Cave (Ao no Dokutsu)
📍 Shibuya Park Street to Yoyogi Park entrance (Map)
📅 December 4 – December 25
⏰ 5:00PM – 10:00PM
💴 Free
🔗 Official site (in Japanese)
Shibuya’s Ao no Dokutsu is one of Tokyo’s most striking winter illuminations, transforming the stretch from Shibuya Koen-dōri to Yoyogi Park Keyaki Namiki into an 800-meter tunnel of deep blue light. Around half a million LEDs wrap the zelkova trees along the route, creating a cool, immersive glow that feels almost like walking through an underwater corridor.
This year also introduces a playful new highlight: The Snowman, a giant snowman-shaped balloon set near the Yoyogi Park end of the display. It shows holiday projections and adds a lighthearted touch to the illumination route. Since the event is free and close to both Shibuya and Harajuku’s shops and cafés, it’s an easy addition to winter evenings in the area.
Tokyo’s Brightest Season
The illumination season in Tokyo is stunning, but it also comes with a few things worth keeping in mind. Displays can get canceled, close early, or shorten parts of the program due to weather or congestion, so checking official websites before heading out is always a good idea. Many events become extremely crowded around opening week, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and weekends in December, so visiting on a weekday or later in the season usually offers a less crowded experience. If you plan to see several illuminations in one night, group locations that are close to each other to avoid long transfers.
Tokyo comes alive in a symphony of lights each winter, turning parks, streets, and plazas into bright, festive spaces with events for every style and mood. This season, take the time to enjoy the city after dark: grab a warm drink, choose the spots you want to see, and enjoy a winter evening surrounded by the glow of Tokyo’s illuminations!
🌟A Bright Start to Your Journey
Tokyo’s winter lights are just a glimpse of what makes the city special, and if you’ve ever dreamed of discovering Japan beyond sightseeing while gaining international work experience, consider doing an internship in Japan!
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