Christmas in Tokyo: 10 Best Things to Do and See

Christmas in Tokyo is, perhaps, the most wonderful time of the year. Streets twinkle in fairy lights, fashion boutiques blast Christmas playlists and German-inspired markets serve up steaming cups of mulled wine and cinnamon-dusted churros. There’s a gold luster in the air that somehow turns this megalopolis into a Hallmark Christmas town. 

There are places, like Christmas markets in Hibiya or the ice-skating rink in Ginza, that will be more crowded than usual. Those looking to dine on Christmas Eve might find themselves competing for reservations at some of Tokyo’s best-loved restaurants. But there are quieter, less-visited spots to explore, just as festive nevertheless. 

From Michelin-starred dining to free festive activities, check out what to do, see and eat during Christmas in Tokyo to merry your way through this magical season. 

Yes, Tokyo is a great place to visit at Christmas. The city offers a festive atmosphere with dazzling illumination displays, Christmas markets filled with seasonal treats, ice rinks for winter fun and special Christmas dinners.

There is no way to get closer to Odaiba Rainbow’s legendary fireworks action than by being on the waters of Tokyo Bay itself. Available only on December 21 and December 24, hop on a traditional yakatabune cruise and get front-row views of the dazzling pyrotechnics from a rooftop deck surrounded by Tokyo’s sparkling skyline.

The cruise sets sail from the Harumi Boat Pier, floating along Tokyo Skytree, Odaiba and Rainbow Bridge. The voyage includes premium omakase kaiseki and free-flow booze like champagne, beer and whisky. A great way to start with a bang, indeed. 

Read more: Most Scenic Tokyo Cruises For Dates, Dinner and More

Santa may be going down your chimney on Christmas Eve, but he’d prefer if you were out of the house, treating yourself to a fancy dinner in Tokyo. 

The Asakusa landmark restaurant of Hommage, one of the city’s more decorated Michelin-starred venues, will be open during the festive season, including Christmas. It’s the perfect excuse to dust off that black dress or tie and make the night more unforgettable with a sophisticated dinner.

This year’s tasting menu continues to showcase Chef Arai’s mastery of French techniques paired with premium ingredients. The content is entirely hidden behind the veil of Chef Arai’s brimming creativity, but expect indulgent touches like truffles and carefully curated seasonal delights.

Read more: Best Michelin Star Restaurants in Tokyo

When the traditional Christmas meal doesn’t quite do it for you, you might do better with dining what Tokyo is known for, sushi. 

The city darling Nishiazabu Sushi Shin has a keen eye for detail, thanks to Chef Shinato Suzuki, who personally inspects day-fresh seafood catches at the market. When the Michelin Guide first expanded to Japan, it was one of the first sushi restaurants to be awarded a Michelin Star — and held it for over 10 years.  

Chef Suzuki’s precision extends to even the smallest details, like using different brushes to apply soy sauce to various types of nigiri, ensuring the right balance of flavors. For example, tuna belly, rich in oils, requires a lighter touch to avoid overpowering more delicate fish.

His special end-of-year course runs from December 26 to January 5. It is an entirely omakase experience, making it one of the most exciting dining options of the season.

Only their Christmas and New Year menus will be made available at Michelin Bib Gourmand Noura, the companion bistro to the famed French restaurant HOMMAGE.  The name "Noura" is a playful nod to its location behind its older sister in Asakusa —"Hommage no ura," meaning "behind Hommage" in Japanese.

Compared to HOMMAGE, NOURA embraces a cool Parisian bistro soul with a vibe that doesn’t want you to dash out of the white-clothed table. Duo chefs Matsumoto Yushio and Arai Noboru steer the menu, dazzling with bold dishes like salmon with cream and basil brulee, or asparagus with shrimp frites — mouthwatering creations that push the boundaries of French-inspired bistro cuisine.

Germany has its mulled wine. America has its stuffed turkey. In Japan, Christmas means strawberry shortcake. This delicate stack of white cream, fluffy Victorian sponge cake and plump strawberries has become a reliable sweet treat during the holiday season.

Plan the perfect Christmas activity by making your own strawberry shortcake in a fun baking workshop. Perfect for beginners, this class guides you through making the dough from scratch, whipping the cream and layering it all into a beautiful red-and-white masterpiece. 

You’ll slice the strawberries, decorate to your heart's content and, depending on the season, have the option to use other fresh fruits to add variety. Join this shortcake-making experience in Tokyo and make your Christmas even sweeter.

On a cold winter in Tokyo, there’s no better way to warm up than with a bowl of sukiyaki or hot pot.

Wedged in an off-the-beaten alley between Kanda and Nihombashi, Sukiyaki Sasaki began in the commercial meat wholesale business before its first owner transitioned into the restaurant industry.

Today, under Sasaki Ryuji, the venue draws a steady stream of diners looking for heartwarming sukiyaki and shabu-shabu. The restaurant serves beautifully marbled cuts of kuroge wagyu and sirloin, which remain sweet, succulent and decadent, whether simmered in the rich sukiyaki broth or the clear, aromatic shabu-shabu soup. The meat is always chilled, never frozen. 

The restaurant’s family-oriented dining setup is enhanced by sudare — bamboo blinds that partially separate the dining areas for an extra touch of privacy.

For a taste of belly-warming history in Tokyo’s oldest-running sukiyaki house, head to Iseju in Nihonbashi instead. 

Read more: Best Shabu Shabu in Tokyo to Cure Your Winter Blues

When it comes to Christmas illuminations, no other place does it like Tokyo. After November, almost all corners of the city are lit up with fairy lights on the avenues, casting the darkness away. Catching the first switch-on, usually at 4 pm, is very special.

When in central Tokyo, map out the evening just to leave enough time to absorb the grand spectacle of these displays. Start at Roppongi Hills, where Keiyakizaka Street, stretching over 400 meters, comes alive with shimmering silver-blue lights wrapped around the trees near the shopping center.

After that, drop by Hibiya using the Tokyo Metro for their version of Christmas lights. The colors picked are shades of dawn; every tree has a somewhat different light to create a seamless gradation effect. 

But if you prefer a quieter one, head to Marunouchi’s Naka-dori Street. The lights are kept simple: a champagne shade as an ode to the area’s stylish disposition.

While Tokyo might not have frozen lakes for wild ice skating, it certainly knows how to bring winter fun with several artificial rinks. Put on the gloves, grab (or rent) your skates and embrace the festive spirit with a glide around one of Tokyo’s best ice rinks.

One of the largest seasonal rinks is at the Tokyo Midtown complex, typically open from mid-November to February, where the rink is beautifully illuminated for a magical skating experience. 

After a day of shopping in shopping mecca Ginza, head to the rooftop garden at Ginza Six, where a giant cat installation sits at the center of the rink, surrounded by Christmas trees, while skaters glide beneath the city lights.

For something even more spectacular, the Skytree Town Ice Skating Park, located on the fourth floor of Tokyo Skytree Town, runs until early March. Here, you can skate underneath the towering landmark itself.

Just like that, Christmas markets in Tokyo are setting up shop once again. 

Taking inspiration from traditional German Christmas markets, Tokyo’s festive markets come alive with lodge-style booths, handmade crafts and a mouthwatering array of food, including mulled wine, churros and bratwurst. 

Some markets welcome walk-ins and are free of charge, while others may require a bit of early planning and may charge for entry.

For the biggest one, head to Meiji Jingu Gaien for the annual Tokyo Christmas Market, backed by the German Tourism Association and the German Embassy. The crowd might move slowly (it gets packed on Christmas Eve), but it only gives you more time to savor delicious sausages, rich cocoa, mulled wine and freshly baked pretzels as you explore the market’s festive offerings.

The Yokohama Red Brick Christmas Market is more scenic. The fair is held right next to the massive red-bricked architecture, featuring a three-story-high Christmas tree and stalls pouring German beer and whipping out stollen and bratwursts. 

Other recommendations for Christmas markets in Tokyo include:

• Roppongi Hills Christmas Market

• Tokyo Dome City Christmas Market

• Ark Hills Christmas Marche

• Yebisu Garden Place Christmas Market 

Read more: What to Eat at a Japanese Christmas Market

KFC and Christmas are two words that seem like they would never intersect. But in Japan, they do. Among the familiar holiday staples of strawberry shortcakes and fancy dining, you’ll find Japanese people bringing home buckets of KFC on Christmas Day.

This tradition began because of one brilliant marketing campaign. In 1970, Takeshi Okawara, then the manager of the first KFC in Japan, overheard an expat lamenting the lack of turkey for Christmas in Japan. 

With turkey unavailable, Okawara’s solution was, of course, fried chicken. Circa 1970, the fried chicken party bucket went national, accompanied by the slogan "Kentucky is Christmas." And, as it turned out, KFC did become Christmas. 

If you're staying in this Christmas, you can embrace this quirky tradition too. Be sure to place your order in advance at your local KFC store, as reservations open on the days leading up to December 25. 

On Christmas Day itself, it’s almost guaranteed that all the chickens will be sold out. If you can't get your hands on KFC, other stores, including Family Mart, have jumped on the bandwagon and now take pre-orders for their fried chicken as well.

Read more: Best Christmas Food in Japan

Keep the winter vibes going with Japanese winter foods, or escape Tokyo for winter in Kyoto, Nikko or Hokkaido. Think you might like to try another season in Japan? Check out the best time to visit Japan.

Japanese people eat KFC during Christmas because of a successful marketing campaign in the 1970s by the manager of the KFC manager, making it a popular holiday tradition. It also helps that Colonel Sanders bears a passing resemblance to Santa Clause.

Tokyo is a great place to visit at Christmas, with vibrant lights, shopping and festive events throughout the city.

Christmas in Tokyo is celebrated with elaborate illuminations, festive shopping and romantic dinners, although it remains a secular holiday.

The best Christmas markets in Tokyo are at Roppongi Hills, the Tokyo Christmas Market, Tokyo Dome City Christmas Market, Ark Hills Christmas Marche and Yebisu Garden Place Christmas Market. 

The best place to spend Christmas in Japan is Tokyo for its festive atmosphere, Sapporo for its ski resorts and world-class snow and Kyoto, for its traditional-meets-Christmas charm.