Christmas in Tokyo 2026 – 24 Christmas Markets, Lights & Events

Tokyo at Christmas and in the New Year comes alive with a feast of festive favorites and classic Christmas lights and events – a joyful Japanese 2026 Christmas in Tokyo awaits!

There are countless Tokyo Christmas events from winter wonderlands at Tokyo theme parks such as Hello Kitty Puroland or Tokyo Disneyland to Tokyo Christmas Market, the biggest in Japan!

Ice-skating is another popular Christmas activity in Tokyo (plus there is are two Christmas ice rinks in Yokohama) or stay warm and feast on a KFC Christmas chicken bucket.

From a merry Marunouchi Christmas to the chaos of Roppongi Hills illuminations (what an experience!), here are the best Tokyo Christmas 2026 events, lights and markets in 2026 / 2027 with photos.

This article was originally posted on 1 August 2024

Check out all our Tokyo at Christmas guides!
Christmas lights, markets and events in Tokyo >
Tokyo Skytree Christmas Market >
Tokyo Christmas Market >
Midtown Christmas Lights /Ice Skating >
Tokyo Mega Illuminations >
Roppongi Hills Christmas Lights >
Tokyo Dome Christmas Lights >
Marunouchi Street Christmas Lights >

Do they celebrate Christmas in Japan?

Whilst Christmas isn’t an official holiday in Japan (the main religions are Buddhism and Shintoism), Japan embraces Christmas and many special seasonal events, winter displays and illuminations are held.

From early November 2026 onwards, you’ll see Tokyo Christmas lights and events pop-up and some of the winter ice-skating rinks stay open until late February 2027.

In Japan, it is actually Christmas Eve that is more ‘celebrated’ than Christmas Day and kind of becomes their Valentine’s Day or White Day, as couples exchange gifts or arrange festive activities. So the Japanese really do LOVE Christmas.

P.S. There hasn’t been white Christmas in Tokyo for over a decade as it usually snows in January or February but there is always a chance!

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Very similar to the European Christmas Markets, here you’ll find dozens of alpine style cabins with lots of festive food and drink stalls, street performers, magicians and even Santa Claus himself.

Fun for all the family, you can buy gorgeous Christmas gifts like Russian dolls or fragrant candles plus children can ride on Thomas the Tank Engine or meet Father Christmas.

Dining choices include German sausages, Lindt chocolate pick and mix (so popular) plus mulled wine and huge steins of German beer – prost!

Live music and entertainment is also provided but food and drink prices are a little expensive compared to Japanese chain restaurants.

Tokyo Christmas market is paid admission and tickets must be bought in advance and include a free festive Tokyo Christmas Market mug perfect for mulled wine.

Limited tickets are also available on the door but do not include a Christmas mug.

The official Tokyo Christmas Market 2026 is tokyochristmas.net.

Read more in our detailed guide to Tokyo Christmas Market in Meiji Jingu Gaien >

@planmyjapan The Tokyo Christmas Market is now open! 📍 Meji Jingu Gaien, Tokyo ⏱️ 19 November – 25 December 2025. 11am – 9.30pm 💳 ticket prices range from 1,000 Yen to 2,000 Yen depending on day visiting. Book on trip.com #tokyo #christmas #japan #tokyochristmas #christmaslights #japantravel #planmyjapan #christmastiktok #christmasmarket #tokyochristmasmarket2024 #tokyochristmas ♬ Christmas – Big Dreams

This year the ice rink is sponsored by Ralph Lauren and open daily from 26 November 2026 until 23 February 2027.

It is the biggest outdoor Christmas skating rink in Tokyo with ice-skating sessions available daily from 11am to 9pm (last entry 8pm).

If you don’t like skating or would rather just enjoy the winter lights, Hinochiko Park next door plays host to a massive winter illumination trail which is free to visit.

In 2024, there were over 200,000 soap bubble illuminations dotted around the park and there is a regular snow bubble show where fantastic, festive foam ‘rains’ down over the crowd and lights.

In addition, the Tokyo Midtown Christmas Walk of Light in Midtown Park is like walking through a wonderful winter wonderland.

The trees in Midtown Park are illuminated in golden colors and are a magical Christmas backdrop – this was one of the most popular places for seasonal selfies. Plus there were lots of dogs being photographed in Christmas jumpers; amazing!

We visited Tokyo Midtown Christmas in mid November 2024 – read our full guide with more pictures here >

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Japan checklist

We love using booking.com and agoda.com (use the Agoda code TAIWANDERERS for a discount) for researching and booking all our hotels. You can also purchase eSIMs from Airalo.

For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator or Klook.

For booking rental cars visit Discover Cars.

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A very merry Christmas awaits in Marunouchi’s Nakadori Avenue – see over 1 million LED lights strung into the trees in this famous shopping area near Ginza in downtown Tokyo.

Many of the fine fashion stores along Marunouchi Naka-Dori Street also have their own Christmas displays outside. For instance in 2024, Tiffany’s had the most beautiful woodpecker illumination outside their stall, made to look like sparkling gems and jewels.

There are also usually several Harry Potter themed pop-ups in the Marounouchi malls and surrounded areas like Marunouchi Brick Square Ichigokan Plaza. There will be a Hogwarts Snow Tree on the 1st floor of the Marunouchi Building.

From 12 November 2026 until 25 December 2026, Tokyo Marunouchi Harry Potter Christmas lights are some of the best Christmas lights in Tokyo to visit. The outdoor Marunouchi Winter Illuminations stay on until 14 February 2027.

Here is our guide to Marunouchi Christmas with photos >

Yokohama at Christmas is a magical time as the famous Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse transforms into a festive and fun place with an outdoor Christmas market spread over two plazas and a huge Christmas tree as the centrepiece.

We visited last year’s Yokohama Christmas Market on opening night and there was a huge queue to get in.

There are lots of food stalls and ample outdoor seating – the Yokohama Christmas market behind the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse looks out over the harbor and you can eat your Christmas food next to a big Yokohama sign – how ‘Hollywood’!

The Winter Wonder Park at Yamashita Park is perfect for families and beginners and uses a high-tech, eco-friendly synthetic resin rink rather than real ice! The skating rink is surrounded by digital light displays, food trucks and a festive mini-train winding through the park.

Alternatively check out the historic Art Rink at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse. Each year, the Yokohama Ice Rink has designs by a different artist (this year’s theme is ‘Ice Coming Together’), plus there are lots of live music and special ice-skating events.

Art Rink at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse pricing is as follows:

• Adults: 2,000 Yen
• Children: 1,200 Yen
• Spectators: 300 Yen

You can buy tickets directly at the ticket booth on the day of your visit. Afterwards, grab some crafts and gorgeous Christmas gifts in the shops inside or at the outdoor market. See our Red Brick Warehouse guide here >

Check the official Red Brick Warehouse events site for details >

Thousands visit every evening but the mad thing is that people run out across the road when cars stop at the traffic lights to pose in the middle of the road with fairlights all around and the Roppongi Tower lit up in the background.

It is Christmas chaos – every time the lights turn green, it is chaos as police and security guards usher everyone out of the road so the traffic can move, waving their batons and blowing their whistle so loud.

The illuminations continue across Roku-Roku Plaza and the nearby lake – there is often a small Christmas market here too selling hot wine and snacks.

The Roppongi Hills Christmas lights are well worth a visit but it is utter madness – but in a beautifully bizarre kind of way!

The Roppongi Hills Christmas Illuminations are free to visit and light up from early November until 25 December 2026.

Read more about Roppongi Hills Christmas lights in our guide >

There are around 10 German Christmas style stalls selling everything from beer to baubles, sausages to snow globes. Each year, they produce an exclusive Christmas cup which you can purchase and enjoy your festive drinks in.

Whilst not the best Christmas market in Tokyo (it has only a handful of stalls), it is nice to visit if you are here already for the much more epic Roppongi Hill Christmas Lights on nearby Keyakizaka Street.

Roppongi Christmas Market Big Roof Plaza runs from 21 November until 25 December 2026; 11am to 9pm daily.

Downstairs in the Sky Arena area, there is a small Tokyo Skytree Christmas market with pop-up performances and festive projection mapping – also make sure you get selfies at the seasonal photo spots.

The Tokyo Skytree Christmas market is free and runs daily from 5 November to 25 December 2026, 11am – 10pm (last orders at 9pm).

Read more about the Tokyo Skytree Christmas market in our detailed guide >

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It opens every weekend from 6 November 2026 between 12pm and 6pm, then every day from 12pm to 8pm from 1 December to 25 December 2026.

Look in the Peninsula Hotel reception for the annual gingerbread decorating class as well as the opportunity to write a letter to Santa Claus or family members.

The Peninsula also has Christmas afternoon tea and beautiful Christmas cakes made by their renowned pastry chef.

The Christmas Tokyo Peninsula activities usually take place in the two weeks before Christmas.

Check Peninsula Tokyo room availability and rates with Agoda and Booking.com.

10. Shibuya Blue Cave Illuminations (free)

Located along the Meguro River towards Yoyogi Park and boasting over almost 1 million blue LEDs and fairy-lights, Shibuya’s Christmas lights sure do sparkle!

A new Christmas market was also added to the proceedings last year so lets hope it returns in 2026.

Shibuya’s Christmas lights and markets are free to visit and run from 11 December to 25 December 2026.

We were lucky enough to spend last Christmas in Tokyo and our favorite Tokyo shopping mall Christmas display so far was the Space Cat installation at Ginza Six by renowned Japanese artist Kenji Yanobe.

Yanobe’s space cat flies through Ginza Six and is part of a huge artwork piece installed at the center of the mall last festive season – we wonder what they will create in 2026?

There is even a rooftop Christmas ice-skating rink at Tokyo Ginza Six that allows you to skate around a stupendous space cat (never a sentence we thought we would write). It is AMAZING!

You are spoiled for choice in Tokyo but some of the best Christmas shopping mall lights include Midtown and Kitte.

Our personal favorite shopping mall in Tokyo at Christmas is Tokyo Midtown Hibiya as it has numerous lit up Christmas trees in its plaza outside (very close to the Tokyo Peninsula Christmas Market too). Avengers: Doomsday is the official theme for the main Christmas centerpiece at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya.

Better yet, it has an outdoor viewing terrace overlooking Hibiya Park that is covered in thousands of Christmas fairy lights. With several seats in the gardens, it is a popular spot for romantic couples and a wonderful winter wonderland.

Most Tokyo malls have their Christmas lights on from early November and some have Santa’s Grottos too.

We went to see the Tokyo racecourse Christmas lights last year and thought it was easily one of the top 5 Christmas displays in the city and well worth the small entry free – check out our of the Tokyo Mega Illuminations here >

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Even though there are so many things to do in Shinjuku, Shinjuku Southern Terrace sparkles at Christmas with over 200k fairy lights and LED Christmas trees.

There is a small woodland walk (well, a dozen or so trees) with are illuminated so it looks like Narnia!

If you are heading to Shinjuku, check out our neighborhood guide or our Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden guide.

It is open daily from 11am to 9pm and is strung with festive fairy lights and beautiful illuminations.

Highlights include panettone cake sold in tins designed by Dolce and Gabbana, a Sapporo take on German Christmas food plus a vegan stollen and soup stall.

Central Walk, which connects Kamiyacho Station Square to Tower Plaza, will be decorated as a special “Christmas Street.” this year with lots of selfie spots.

On December weekends at Azabudai Hills, you can meet Father Christmas, enjoy Christmas caricatures and performances by balloon artists.

Check out the official Azabudai Hills Christmas website here >

Read more in our Azabudai Hills Christmas Market guide >

Tokyo Dome’s Christmas 2026 theme is ‘Snow Dome’ with a special Cinnamoroll collaboration, and if they are anything like last year, there will be huge Christmas trees, snow shows and dazzling domes of light, plus a seasonal Sparkle Tunnel.

From mid November, the Tokyo Dome at Christmas is a fun and free place to visit – last year, you could even get a free souvenir snowflake photo taken from above as a magical memory and lasting reminder of your Christmas in Tokyo.

The centerpiece is a huge LED tree and there are often performers, pop up shops and a few seasonal surprises along the way. Lights are switched on from 5pm to midnight daily, and the official Tokyo Dome Christmas site can be found here >

Here is our guide to Tokyo Dome Christmas activities with photos >

The Hello Kitty Christmas band and choir will perform festive favorite songs like Jingle Bells plus there is a nightly illumination show synchronized to music.

Other additional activities include themed food and meet and greets with your favorite Sanrio characters – and you can be sure there will be lots of cute Christmas gifts in the shops.

Buy your Sanrio Puroland Tokyo tickets in advance with Klook >

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Families sit around a big bucket on or near to Christmas day and these limited edition KFC Christmas buckets must be ordered in advance, usually from early November – talk about a ‘clucking’ good Christmas in Japan!

It is said that the whole thing came to be when one KFC store manager in the late 1970s heard an expat moaning about the lack of turkey in Japan. As fried chicken was the closest thing, a marketing campaign began and a new tradition grew.

Japan Christmas KFC boxes usually contain a lot of chicken, chocolate cake, shrimp gratin, gravy and sometimes seasonal specials. Nom!

The 2026 KFC Christmas dinner boxes are available to order from November, to pick up and eat between 20 and 25 December 2026 (you have to choose a specific time-slot between 10am and 8pm).

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As well as hundreds of thousands of LEDs, in 2023, there was a 10 metre 3D printed crystal Christmas tree.

The main Christmas decorations can be found along Omotesandō Avenue and Omotesando Hills, Main Building Atrium – all the activities are free to visit.

The Disney Tokyo Christmas daytime parade is themed Toys Wondrous Christmas! and each night, there is a spectacular 5 minute festive firework display.

This nightly lavish parade transforms Tokyo Disneyland at night with lights and your favourite Disney songs including characters from Toy Story and Aladdin.

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Enjoy a snow-covered Disneyland and colorful Disney decorations – you’d be ‘Goofy’ to miss it!

The festive fun also covers Disney Sea and there is always a big Disney Tokyo New Year’s Day event and parade on 1 January 2027! For more details, visit the official Disney Tokyo Christmas page >

Get your Tokyo Disneyland 1 Day Passport or 1 day pass to Disney Sea.

You might like these Tokyo neighbourhood guides:
Akihabara
Asakusa
Ginza
Harajuku
Ikebukuro
Nakano
Odaiba
Ryogoku
Shibuya
Shimokitazawa
Shinjuku

Also check out our
Where to stay in Tokyo guide

This is one of the best Tokyo views any time of the year (including the weird and wonderful Tokyo Statue of Liberty) but even more so at Christmas.

This year, the Odaiba Christmas Illumination “YAKEI” shines with the night view of Tokyo Bay and Rainbow Bridge in the background, against an epic cityscape with a 20 meter tall Christmas tree at the center. The Christmas lights turn on every evening from sunset until midnight.

Check out our guide to Odaiba >

It is also a short walk from the hustle and bustle of Ginza (great for Christmas shopping in Tokyo too).

Also at Christmas, the Caretta Shiodome dazzles with a captivating winter illumination display plus seasonal shops – so do some shopping or grab a Ginza Lion beer before walking over to this free winter display, usually held from mid November.

Yebisu Garden Place and the surrounding squares are lit up with a huge 10 meter Christmas tree with over 100,000 lights, plus a crystal chandelier – now that is a bling Christmas.

A small Christmas Market will be held in both Clock Square and Chateau Square this year as well. Along with the illuminations in each area, you can enjoy special menus from food trucks and shopping for Christmas goods.

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