5 Must-See Tokyo Illumination Events for Winter 2024~2025
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These fantastic light shows and glittering displays are the best illuminations in the Tokyo area, and they're all on for 2024~2025!
CONTENTS
Illuminations in 2024~2025
Every winter, Japan’s gardens, theme parks, and city streets transform from their everyday appearances into magical dreamlands of glittering lights, covered in thousands or millions of tiny bulbs, or brought to life after dark with rainbows of projected light shows. These “illuminations,” as they’re called in Japan, are sometimes associated with Christmas or New Year’s, but usually they’re not celebrating anything in particular – the events bring a little festive fun to cold nights from mid-Autumn throughout the winter, when the chilly air is said to make the lights sparkle extra bright. Every year, illumination events can be found all across Japan, lighting up the country from top to bottom, but plenty of the country’s most spectacular illuminations are in Tokyo (or within easy reach). Here are a few of Tokyo’s best illuminations!
① Tokyo Mega Illumination
Consistently ranked among Japan’s top light-up events, Tokyo Mega Illumination has multiple areas covering the Oi Racecourse, with different lighting themes, shows, and a cute horse-racing theme to boot. Big draws include their fountain-centered light shows, a 100-meter tunnel of little glittering cherry blossom lights, tunnels of funky interactive projection-mapped lighting, and photo-ops with some of the miniature horses and ponies that live at the racecourse!
Tokyo Mega Illumination (東京メガイルミ)
Oi Racecourse, 2-1-2 Katsushima, Shinagawa City, Tokyo
2024~2025 Dates: Nov. 2, 2024 ~ Jan. 12, 2025
*Closed for public holidays.
Official Website (jp/en) | ▷ See more details on the Japankuru event page!
② Roppongi Hills Keyakizaka Illumination
For those with a casual interest in Japanese illuminations, this low-key light display is unbeatable when it comes to convenience and affordability. Head over to Roppongi Hills during their Roppongi Hills Christmas event for the shopping, museums, and great views of Tokyo, plus a German-style Christmas Market. As the sun begins to set, you’ll see the lights of the Keyakizaka Illumination stretching out along Keyakizaka Hill, like brilliant ice crystals piled on the thin tree branches. This particular “Snow & Blue” themed illumination doesn’t have quite the same majesty as some other bigger light display events, but it is totally free to enjoy, and the view of Tokyo Tower in the distance makes it extra special!
Roppongi Hills Keyakizaka Illumination (六本木ヒルズ けやき坂イルミネーション)
6-10-2 Roppongi, Minato City, Tokyo
2024~2025 Dates: Nov. 7, 2024 ~ Dec. 25, 2024
Official Website (jp) | ▷ See more details on the Japankuru event page!
③ Yomiuriland Jewellumination
Go for the rides, stay for the lights! Yomiuriland is Tokyo’s biggest amusement park, with almost 50 rides and attractions to enjoy throughout the daytime hours, and an entire park’s worth of glittering lights to marvel at after the sun goes down during the colder months of the year. Yomiuriland’s “Jewellumination” illumination event has 12 different zones and huge swathes of tiny fairy lights in just about every part of the park. There are quite literally millions of bulbs, and the colorful gem-like points of light arch over paths, reflect in the water of Yomiuriland’s waterpark pools, and hang gracefully from the rides like glittering jewels.
Yomiuriland Jewellumination (よみうりランドジュエルミネーション)
4015-1 Yanokuchi, Inagi, Tokyo
2024~2025 Dates: Oct. 24, 2024 ~ Apr. 6, 2025
Official Website (jp) | ▷ See more details on the Japankuru event page!
④ Hana-Biyori x Take Akari: Hana-Akari Illumination
Hana-Biyori opened in 2020 as a botanical garden with daily indoor projection-mapped light shows, and while many of Tokyo’s tourists have been kept away from the new facility due to the COVID pandemic, it has nonetheless become a popular place for those in the Tokyo area to spend time among the flowers and enjoy light shows throughout the year. There are always colorful flowers on display in the indoor area, and the gardens are in bloom throughout the seasons, but when most plants are hibernating through the winter, fantastic bamboo lanterns and magical light displays take over to light the paths like a scene out of a romantic Japanese drama.
Hana-Biyori x Take Akari: Hana-Akari (HANAあかり～HANA・BIYORI×竹あかり～)
4015-1 Yanokuchi, Inagi, Tokyo
2024~2025 Dates: TBD (last year: Oct. 28 2023 ~ Feb. 25, 2024)
Official Website (jp) | ▷ See more details on the Japankuru event page!
⑤ Ashikaga Flower Park Garden of Illuminated Flowers
Ashikaga Flower Park isn’t actually in Tokyo, but it’s worth venturing out of the city and taking the train a little way north to Tochigi Prefecture for this spectacular illumination event, frequently ranked #1 in Japan. Each autumn and winter, lights of all shapes and sizes take the place of flowers at this huge botanical garden, becoming Ashikaga’s Garden of Illuminated Flowers. Lights sway as shining roses, float in glowing pyramids on the water, and hang from the trees in place of spring wisteria flowers (which anime fans often compare to scenes from the popular Demon Slayer). For a whole night of illumination fun, Ashikaga Flower Park is a little out of the way, but it’s pretty spectacular.
Ashikaga Flower Park Garden (あしかがフラワーパーク 光の花の庭)
607 Hasamacho, Ashikaga, Tochigi
2024~2025 Dates: Oct. 18 2024 ~ Feb. 16, 2025
Official Website (en) | ▷ See more details on the Japankuru event page!
Join in on Tokyo’s Winter Festivities in 2024~2025!
When the cool weather of fall and winter starts to make the lights around the city sparkle after dark, it almost feels like all of Tokyo comes alight, with twinkling lights gracing trees and buildings across the urban landscape. But the Tokyo area is home to some truly fabulous illumination events, and the light displays found around the city can be breathtaking. This year, use the Japankuru team’s list of the best Tokyo illuminations to your advantage, and don’t miss the city’s most spectacular light shows and light-ups!
For more info and updates from Japan, check Japankuru for new articles, and don’t forget to follow us on X (Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook!
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NAME:Tokyo Illuminations (東京のイルミネーション)
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Hokkaido (北海道) is the northernmost of the four main islands that make up Japan. The area is famous for Sapporo Beer, plus brewing and distilling in general, along with fantastic snow festivals and breathtaking national parks. Foodies should look for Hokkaido's famous potatoes, cantaloupe, dairy products, soup curry, and miso ramen!
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Niki, in south-west Hokkaido, is about 30 minutes from Otaru. The small town is rich with natural resources, fresh water, and clean air, making it a thriving center for fruit farms. Cherries, tomatoes, and grapes are all cultivated in the area, and thanks to a growing local wine industry, it's quickly becoming a food and wine hotspot. Together with the neighboring town of Yoichi, it's a noted area for wine tourism.
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Niseko is about two hours from New Chitose Airport, in the western part of Hokkaido. It's one of Japan's most noted winter resort areas, and a frequent destination for international visitors. That's all because of the super high-quality powder snow, which wins the hearts of beginners and experts alike, bringing them back for repeat visits. That's not all, though, it's also a great place to enjoy Hokkaido's culinary scene and some beautiful onsen (hot springs).
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Sapporo, in the south-western part of Hokkaido, is the prefecture's political and economic capital. The local New Chitose Airport see arrivals from major cities like Tokyo and Osaka, alongside international flights. Every February, the Sapporo Snow Festival is held in Odori Park―one of the biggest events in Hokkaido. It's also a hotspot for great food, known as a culinary treasure chest, and Sapporo is a destination for ramen, grilled mutton, soup curry, and of course Hokkaido's beloved seafood.
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Consisting of six prefectures, the Tohoku Region (東北地方) is up in the northeastern part of Japan's main island. It's the source of plenty of the nation's agriculture (which means great food), and packed with beautiful scenery. Explore the region's stunning mountains, lakes, and hot springs!
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Akita Prefecture is on the Sea of Japan, in the northern reaches of Japan's northern Tohoku region. Akita has more officially registered important intangible culture assets than anywhere else in Japan, and to this day visitors can experience traditional culture throughout the prefecture, from the Oga Peninsula's Namahage (registered with UNESCO as a part of Japan's intangible cultural heritage), to the Tohoku top 3 Kanto Festival. Mysterious little spots like the Oyu Stone Circle Site and Ryu no Atama (Dragon's Head) are also worth a visit!
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Fukushima Prefecture sits at the southern tip of Japan's northern Tohoku region, and is divided into three parts with their own different charms: the Coastal Area (Hama-dori), the Central Area (Naka-dori), and the Aizu Area. There's Aizu-Wakamatsu with its Edo-era history and medieval castles, Oze National Park, Kitakata ramen, and Bandai Ski Resort (with its famous powder snow). Fukushima is a beautiful place to enjoy the vivid colors and sightseeing of Japan's beloved four seasons.
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Yamagata Prefecture is up against the Sea of Japan, in the southern part of the Tohoku region, and it's especially popular in winter, when travelers soak in the onsen (hot springs) and ski down snowy slopes. International skiiers are especially fond of Zao Onsen Ski Resort and Gassan Ski Resort, and in recent years visitors have been drawn to the area to see the mystical sight of local frost-covered trees. Some destinations are popular regardless of the season, like Risshakuji Temple, AKA Yamadera, Ginzan Onsen's nostalgic old-fashioned streets, and Zao's Okama Lake, all great for taking pictures. Yamagata is also the place to try Yonezawa beef, one of the top 3 varieties of wagyu beef.
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Tokyo (東京) is Japan's busy capital, and the most populous metropolitan area in the world. While the city as a whole is quite modern, crowded with skyscrapers and bustling crowds, Tokyo also holds onto its traditional side in places like the Imperial Palace and Asakusa neighborhood. It's one of the world's top cities when it comes to culture, the arts, fashion, games, high-tech industries, transportation, and more.
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Nagano Prefecture's popularity starts with a wealth of historic treasures, like Matsumoto Castle, Zenkoji Temple, and Togakushi Shrine, but the highlight might just be the prefecture's natural vistas surrounded by the "Japanese Alps." Nagano's fruit is famous, and there are plenty of places to pick it fresh, and the area is full of hot springs, including Jigokudani Monkey Park―where monkeys take baths as well! Thanks to the construction of the Hokuriku shinkansen line, Nagano is easily reachable from the Tokyo area, adding it to plenty of travel itineraries. And after the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, ski resorts like Hakuba and Shiga Kogen are known around the world.
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Aichi Prefecture sits in the center of the Japanese islands, and its capital city, Nagoya, is a center of politics, commerce, and culture. While Aichi is home to major industry, and is even the birthplace of Toyota cars, it's proximity to the sea and the mountains means it's also a place with beautiful natural scenery, like Saku Island, Koijigahama Beach, Mt. Horaiji. Often used a stage for major battles in Japanese history, Sengoku era commanders like Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu left their own footprints on Aichi, and historic buildings like Nagoya Castle, Inuyama Castle, and those in Meiji Mura are still around to tell the tale.
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Niigata is a prefecture on Japan's main island of Honshu, situated right on the coast of the Sea of Japan, and abundant with the gifts of nature. It's known for popular ski resorts such as Echigo-Yuzawa, Japanese national parks, and natural hot spring baths, plus local products like fresh seafood, rice, and sake. Visitors often spend time in the prefectural capital, Niigata City, or venture across the water to Sado Island.
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Shizuoka Prefecture is sandwiched between eastern and western Japan, giving the prefecture easy access to both Tokyo and Osaka. Not only is it known for beautiful natural attractions, with everything from Mount Fuji to Suruga Bay, Lake Hamanako, and Sumata Pass―Shizuoka's Izu Peninsula is known as a go-to spot for hot springs lovers, with famous onsen like Atami, Ito, Shimoda, Shuzenji, and Dogashima. Shizuoka attracts all kinds of travelers thanks to historic connections with the Tokugawa clan, the Oigawa Railway, fresh eel cuisine, Hamamatsu gyoza, and famously high-quality green tea.
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Kansai (関西) is a region that includes Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, and Shiga Prefectures. Kansai contained Japan's ancient capital for hundreds of years, and it's making a comeback as one of the most popular parts of Japan. Kyoto's temples and shrines, Osaka Castle, and the deer of Nara are all considered must-sees. Plus, the people of Kansai are especially friendly, making it a fun place to hang out.
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KYOTO
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Kyoto flourished as the capital of Japan between the years 794 and 1100, becoming a center for poilitics and culture, and to this day it's a great place for close encounters with Japanese history. The cobbled streets of Gion, the atmospheric road to Kiyomizudera Temple, Kinkakuji's golden walls and countless historic attractions, even Arashiyama's Togetsukyo Bridge―Kyoto is a place of many attractions. With new charms to experience throughout the seasons, travelers can't stop themselves from returning again and again.
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NARA
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Nara Prefecture's important history reaches back to 710, a time now called the Nara era, when it was once capital of Japan. Called "Heijo-kyo" during its time as a capital, it's said that nara was once the end of the silk road, leading it to flourish as a uniquely international region and produce important cultural properties of all kinds. To make the most of each season, travelers head to Nara Park, where the Nara deer who wander freely, or climb Mount Yoshino, a famous cherry blossom spot.
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OSAKA
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Osaka is known for friendly (and funny) people, but its history is nothing to laugh at, playing a major part in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's 16th century unification of Japan. Thanks to long years of economic activity, it's one of Japan's biggest cities, and Osaka's popular food culture earned it the nickname "The Kitchen of the Nation." To this day Osaka is the model of western Japan, and alongside historic structures like Osaka Castle, it also has major shopping malls like Umeda's Grand Front Osaka and Tennoji's Abeno Harukas. Osaka is a place to eat, eat, eat, with local specialties like takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and kushi-katsu, and for extra fun, it's home to Universal Studios Japan.
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CHUGOKU
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The Chugoku Region (中国地方) consists of five prefectures: Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori, and Yamaguchi. In Chugoku you’ll find the sand dunes of Tottori, and Hiroshima’s atomic bomb site, plus centers of ancient history like Grand Shrine of Izumo.
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Hiroshima Prefecture has everything, from world heritage sites to beautiful nature and delicious local cuisine, and it's either an hour and a half from Tokyo by plane, or four hours by train. Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island and the Atomic Bomb Dome, two Hiroshima UNESCO sites, are famous around the world, but in Japan it's also famous for food. Seafood from the Seto Inland Sea, especially oysters, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, and Setouchi lemons are all popular, and the natural scenery alone is worth seeing.
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SHIKOKU
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On the other side of the Seto Inland Sea opposite Japan’s main island, Shikoku (四国) is a region made up of four prefectures: Ehime, Kagawa, Kochi, and Tokushima. The area is famous for its udon (in Kagawa), and the beautiful Dogo Onsen hot springs (in Ehime).
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KAGAWA
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Kagawa Prefecture is on the northern part of the island of Shikoku, facing Japan's main island and the Seto Inland Sea. It's known for being the smallest prefecture in Japan, by area, but at the same time Kagawa is called the "Udon Prefecture" thanks to its famous sanuki udon. Aside from Kotohiragu Shrine and Ritsurin Garden, the prefecture's small islands are popular, and Kagawa is full of unique destinations, like Angel Road. They say that if you lay eyes on Zenigata Sunae, a huge Kagawa sand painting, you'll never have money troubles ever again.
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Located in the most southwestern part of Japan, Kyushu (九州) is an island of 7 prefectures: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima. The island's unique culture has been influenced by Chinese and Dutch trade, along with missionaries coming in through Nagasaki's port. Modern-day travelers love the lush natural scenery and fresh food, plus the natural hot springs found all throughout the area (thanks to volcanic activity)!
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FUKUOKA
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Fukuoka Prefecture has the highest population on the southern island of Kyushu, with two major cities: Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. Thanks to growing transportation networks, Fukuoka is more accessible than ever, and so are the many local attractions. On top of historical spots like Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, travelers shouldn't miss Fukuoka's food scene, with motsu nabe (offal hotpot), mentaiko (spicy cod roe), and famous Hakata ramen―best eaten from a food stall in the Nakasu area of Hakata. Plus, it's full of all sorts of destinations for travelers, like trendy shopping centers, and the beautiful nature of Itoshima and Yanagawa.
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KAGOSHIMA
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Kagoshima Prefecture played a major role in Japan's modernization as a backdrop for famous historical figures like samurais Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, who pushed Japan out of the Edo era and into the Meiji. Because of that, Sengan-en Garden is just one of many historical destinations, and when it comes to attractions Kagoshima has plenty: the active volcano of Sakurajima, popular hot springs Ibusuki Onsen and Kirishima Onsen, World Heritage Site Yakushima Island, even what Japan calls the "island closest to heaven," Amami Oshima. Kagoshima might be found on the very southernmost tip of the southern island of Kyushu, but there's plenty to see.
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OKINAWA
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The island chain of Okinawa (沖縄) makes up the southernmost tip of Japan, which is why it's also the most tropical area in the country. Thanks to a history of independence and totally distinct political and cultural events, Okinawa has a unique culture, and remnants of the Ryukyu Kingdom are still visible all over the islands. Food, language, traditional dress, it's all a little different! It's also said to be the birthplace of karate.
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