When Christmas time is upon the city of Tokyo, it embraces the tradition of festive lights in a big way. All of the cities set up some kind of illumination for everyone to view at their leisure. Since some places in the city are bigger, or more popular, they will go a little further to gain onlookers. There are some top places to visit in Tokyo if you want to see the best lights that the city has to offer.

Streetside Illumination

Simply visiting some of Tokyo’s more popular places can garner you a beautiful night view. Walking around the city streets under a blanket of lights is a sight to behold. The most popular areas include Roppongi, Ginza, Ebisu, and Omotesando. Many places are set up for visitors to enjoy a drink and a meal while observing the sights. You can never go wrong with any of the aforementioned areas, but they may end up being more crowded than the others. Plan accordingly if you want to try and enjoy it with the least amount of people around.

Midtown Illumination

Take a train to Roppongi station, and it is a short walk to the Tokyo Midtown shopping area. The entire shopping area becomes covered with lights, up 150,000, that create a pleasant atmosphere. They start hanging the lights from mid-November until Christmas day, and they are one of the more popular sites in Tokyo. It has become a well-known spot for couples, so it gets crowded near Christmas time. If you want to enjoy a romantic evening there as well, you’ll need to go earlier than usual.

Marunouchi Illumination

If you want to see an illumination on a large scale, this is a place to go. They cover the entire area in lights and set a tremendous scene to behold. The lights cover many of the surfaces around the mainstream, and lights shine in gold shade. They have even upgraded their lights to be more environmentally friendly, in that they are newer bulbs that use less energy than usual. The lights still produce more than enough shine to truly accent the area. The main area that you can see it best is from the Naka Dori, and the lights start in November and end in February. There is plenty of time to see it whether you visit before or after the holidays.

Caretta Shiodome Illumination

This is considered as one of the best illuminations in Tokyo. It is a combination light and music show, that is sure to delight. It has over 250,000 lights strewn across the area, and it starts in November and ends in February. It garners large crowds by not only being a beautiful spectacle but also by being one of the longest-running illuminations in the city.

Tokyo Skytree Town Dream Christmas

Since Skytree is one of Tokyo’s biggest tourist attractions, it is bound to be one of the better experiences to see. When the holiday season comes around they tend to go all out for popular tourist spots. It has over 250,00 lights coupled with projection map shows. They also decorate the small gardens that surround Skytree, and they light the entire tower with Christmas themed lighting. It runs from mid-November to mid-February and will be one of the busiest spots to visit. Expect long lines and a completely crowded area. Make sure to bring enough cash to go up Skytree as well.

Tokyo Dome City Winter Lights Garden

The Tokyo Dome is another big tourist site that has more than just lights to see. They have many sets of lights in different designs such as one of Mt. Fuji and a sakura tree in bloom. They sprinkle them around the outside of the dome and can lead to a great walkthrough for couples, families, or single visitors. Not only will get to see a nice view of creative light designs, but you can also eat at some of the local restaurants nearby. You can also visit the baseball shop and show your love for the cities baseball team, the giants. There is an amusement park attached to the area around the dome too. It is a great way to spend time with the whole family.

Tokyo Tower Illumination

The typical theme for Tokyo Tower is an orange illumination. For 2019 They are going to introduce a candle tower which is a smaller replica of the main tower. Tokyo Tower has often been referred to as the candle of the city, so it really plays into the local sentiments. They do a light show that starts every fifteen minutes and brings life to both of the towers.

Yomiuriland Jewellumination

This is a yearly lighting event that makes use of gemstone styled lights. They have a variety of designs for visitors to see. The entire park is covered with some form of lights and even has a large Christmas tree full of decorations, and water fountain shows. The food stalls have special Christmas menus as well, so you can enjoy limited-time treats and foods. Since they cover then entire park, each area will have its own theme, so it might a good idea to take in the entire park while you’re there.

You can’t go wrong with any place you decide to visit as they all bring their own brand of charm. Some places will be more popular and will require a bit more planning, but you can just as easily find smaller events that will surely please anyone. It’s a good idea to check for other parts of the city as there could be some hidden gems tucked away in the most unassuming of places.