Japan Travel – Winter Illuminations

My trip to Japan occurred during Christmas and New Year’s. For the Japanese, Christmas is not seen as a religious holiday, which makes sense since they don’t share the Christian religion, with Shinto and Buddhism dominating as the national religions instead. But, they have carried over one major thing – the idea of lots of sparkling holiday lights which they call Winter Illuminations.

In the Western world not all those that celebrate Christmas are religious either of course. Nowadays Christmas often leans more towards being a cultural holiday involving family gathering together. It’s also a consumerist holiday involving a lot of shopping and holiday sales in the name of gift giving and holiday parties.

But the Japanese don’t really celebrate Christmas in either of those ways either, with the only 2 exceptions being the pushing of Kentucky Fried Chicken as a Christmas meal, and the promotion of Christmas Cake. You can reserve your KFC meal ahead of time, and there are lines! I was somehow charmed by Colonel Sanders Santa every time I saw him though.
Kentucky Fried Chicken heavily markets its fried chicken as a Christmas meal - so much that you can pre-order family meals, and there are lines for Christmas! Colonel Sanders Santa! Kentucky Fried Chicken heavily markets its fried chicken as a Christmas meal - so much that you can pre-order family meals, and there are lines for Christmas!

For the Japanese, instead it’s New Year’s that is the time for gathering with families – many people close down their shops or leave work for extended holidays to return to their hometowns. Similarly, it’s the rationale of New Year’s for their end of year holiday parties, and big New Year’s sale with heavily discounted grab bags.

As for presents, I won’t try to touch the explanation for gift giving in Japanese culture that has a whole etiquette involved in terms of presentation, social obligation, reciprocation, and the many many reasons and occasions that call for gift giving, including coming back from a trip or as thanks (or even as a thank you for a thank you…). For Christmas, only children who believe in Santa might receive gifts – Santa doesn’t give gifts to non-believers, which apparently includes all adults.
Christmas Cake and more in Japan Christmas Cake and more in Japan
At least everyone gets to eat Christmas Cake, adults and kids

Instead, Christmas Eve and Day are regular work days. Some who might celebrate Christmas view it more as a romantic holiday where a couple goes out to celebrate on Christmas Eve. This explains why when I saw Christmas decorations, hearts sometimes showed up as a motif, and there were mostly couples not families who were out for Christmas.
Heart on Tokyo Tower as part of its Winter Fantasy ~ Orange Illumination from November 23 2015 to February 29 2016
Heart on Tokyo Tower as part of its Winter Fantasy ~ Orange Illumination from November 23 2015 to February 29 2016

The holiday lights are the most noticeable way that the Japanese celebrate Christmas. Most of the holiday lights I saw were in large public areas, often by a lot of stores, often in a park area and/or down entire streets. Though I don’t know if I can really call them Christmas lights, since some of those major light installations go up in early November. Although some of the lights might go down on December 25, others light installations might stay until even mid or end of February!

Christmas Trees are conceptual rather than any real evergreens or full of lots of ornaments.
Winter Illumination of a tree and penguin friends by Shinjuku Terrace City, a version of Christmas lights Winter Illumination of a tree with light projections by Shinjuku Terrace City, a version of Christmas lights

Overall, there are several places that offer holiday lights where I often saw a lot of couples walking and enjoying it hand in hand (and of course snapping photos). During my trip, we made it to 3 Winter Illumination displays.

Shinjuku Terrace City Illumination

Shinjuku Terrace City is sort of an outdoor shopping space that has a small park between the stores. Within this park, they light up 300 globes and 235,000 LED bulbs on the trees.
Christmas lights - though really Winter Illuminations since it goes from November through February - by Shinjuku Terrace City Christmas lights - though really Winter Illuminations since it goes from November through February - by Shinjuku Terrace City

These lights are up from mid November to mid February. So even if you are visiting not in the Christmas holiday time, you might be able to catch them!
Christmas lights - though really Winter Illuminations since it goes from November through February - by Shinjuku Terrace City Christmas lights - though really Winter Illuminations since it goes from November through February - by Shinjuku Terrace City

It also included a “Christmas Tree” which is really more like a sculpture in the shape of a tree. The Penguin tree you saw earlier in this post was from this area. Also, there was another tree at the end of the park. Interestingly enough, it was all white and more of a tree shaped sculpture. It was illuminated with a projector that offered different patterns based on people putting hands on pedestal placed a bit in front of it. Each pattern was animated and used different colors, lasting for 30 seconds or so.
One of the displays at Shinjuku Terrace City Winter Illumination included a white Christmas tree like sculpture. Placing your hands on a globe, you can invoke different projections onto the sculpture with colors and animations One of the displays at Shinjuku Terrace City Winter Illumination included a white Christmas tree like sculpture. Placing your hands on a globe, you can invoke different projections onto the sculpture with colors and animations

You can see there were apparently six different possible patterns on the sign to the left. To the right you can see a globe like pedestal with outlines of two hands that people would place their hands on to start a new projection/illumination on the tree.
One of the displays at Shinjuku Terrace City Winter Illumination included a white Christmas tree like sculpture. Placing your hands on a globe, you can invoke different projections onto the sculpture with colors and animations One of the displays at Shinjuku Terrace City Winter Illumination included a white Christmas tree like sculpture. Placing your hands on a globe, you can invoke different projections onto the sculpture with colors and animations One of the displays at Shinjuku Terrace City Winter Illumination included a white Christmas tree like sculpture. Placing your hands on a globe, you can invoke different projections onto the sculpture with colors and animations One of the displays at Shinjuku Terrace City Winter Illumination included a white Christmas tree like sculpture. Placing your hands on a globe, you can invoke different projections onto the sculpture with colors and animations

Roppongi Hills

Roppongi Hills area has a “Christmas Tree” along with lights within a shopping center, and also all down the street of Keyakizaka. There are about 1,200,000 LEDs that switch from a “Snow and Blue” theme to “Candle and Red”. These lights were up from the beginning of November until Christmas Day, so given when you see Christmas stuff show up in stores here in the US, I could justify calling these holiday lights.

I liked the extra sparkle of the tree.
Roppongi Hills Christmas Tree changes lighting color from the Snow and White theme to Candle and Red theme Roppongi Hills Christmas Tree changes lighting color from the Snow and White theme to Candle and Red theme Roppongi Hills Christmas Tree changes lighting color from the Snow and White theme to Candle and Red theme The winter illuminations at Roppongi Hills - this holiday tree changes color. This is a fashionable area (a bit like Michigan Avenue) and we noticed a lot more women making up the population then usual

In the park area, the darker shady areas with the trees around the pond and which was quieter than the shopping area with the stores made for a romantic walk as couples held hands.
They don't celebrate Christmas in Japan like the west does- it's more a romantic holiday, this park in Roppongi Hills is supposed to be very romantic to walk in with these holiday lights They don't celebrate Christmas in Japan like the west does- it's more a romantic holiday, this park in Roppongi Hills is supposed to be very romantic to walk in with these holiday lights They don't celebrate Christmas in Japan like the west does - it's more a romantic holiday, this park in Roppongi Hills is supposed to be very romantic to walk in with these holiday lights

Roppongi Hills along Keyakizaka street is a fashionable area (reminds me a bit like Michigan Avenue) and we noticed a lot more women making up the population then usual who were dressed really well. The blue and white lights along the classy street were on every single tree. We were on our way to Midtown so didn’t linger long enough to see the change to the Candle and Red theme.
Every single tree on the street is lit up in blue and white lights here in Roppongi Hills along Keyakizaka street. There are about 1,200,000 LEDs turning from a Snow and Blue theme to Candle and Red theme Every single tree on the street is lit up in blue and white lights here in Roppongi Hills along Keyakizaka street. There are about 1,200,000 LEDs turning from a Snow and Blue theme to Candle and Red theme Every single tree on the street is lit up in blue and white lights here in Roppongi Hills along Keyakizaka street. There are about 1,200,000 LEDs turning from a Snow and Blue theme to Candle and Red theme Every single tree on the street is lit up in blue and white lights here in Roppongi Hills. along Keyakizaka street. There are about 1,200,000 LEDs turning from a Snow and Blue theme to Candle and Red. And you can see the hearts here reflecting how Christmas is more a romantic holiday than the US

Midtown Christmas

Similarly, the Midtown Christmas, by the Galleria shopping center, has its display from mid November to December 25 also count as holiday lights to me. You can easily walk between Roppongi Hills to Midtown in order to see both these Winter Illuminations. The ones at Midtown include 180,003 lights and a “starry sky illumination” theme that include lights that appear to be shooting stars or falling stars, all set to music in a park in the back that they call a “Starlight Garden”.

It’s very organized even though it’s extremely popular – there is only one way to enter the park and then you walk counter clockwise, with cones and security there to maintain order. Here’s a look at the Starlight Garden from a balcony to get an idea of the size!
A look back as we walk towards the street of the size of the Midtown Christmas Lights 2015 to get a look of the size of the Starlight Garden A look back as we walk towards the street of the size of the Midtown Christmas Lights 2015 to get a look of the size of the Starlight Garden

The lights – the way they slowly turn on just the blue at the time, and then adding more, the way they move with the music slowly downward while twinkling, upward like shooting into the sky, or fast horizontally on a circular track like a shooting star… it was breathtaking.
The beautiful Midtown Christmas Lights 2015 with 180,003 lights and a starry sky illumination technology light show set to music for its Starlight Garden alt=
The beautiful Midtown Christmas Lights 2015 with 180,003 lights and a starry sky illumination technology light show set to music – in the background from this view you can see Tokyo Tower and its updated lighting that changes over time during the evening

These photos just don’t do it justice. So here’s a video we took, though that still doesn’t do justice to how it looked in person.

This is where I found a listing of the Winter Illuminations:

What do you think of how the Japanese celebrate Christmas? Is there anything you’d miss, or something you like about their view on Christmas? Have you been in a foreign country during Christmas before and how did they celebrate it that was different?

If you’re one of my Portland readers, and do you know there is a FREE Winter Light Festival for us too? Check out the family friendly Portland Winter Light Festival coming February 3-6, 2016 along the East Bank Esplanade and by OMSI.

Here’s a summary of my Japan Travel post series:

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Comments

  1. This is spectacular!! I am also super amused by the KFC!

  2. This is so interesting! Who would have thought KFC was such a prominent part of the Christmas Holiday in Japan? I’m also interested in the concept of gift giving in Japanese culture. I recently learned that, Valentine’s day in Japan is mostly about girls giving boys chocolate (as opposed to other way around, here in the states).

    Thanks for the insightful and comprehensive post. Learning little things like this about other cultures is always helpful and very interesting!

    – Brianne

    • I think KFC actively decided the part of the Christmas celebration they’d play with their active campaigning! I saw many many fried chicken ads.

    • Girls do give boys chocolate on Valentines and there’s figuring out whether the chocolate received is an obligation chocolate or love chocolate , but there’s a whole other separate holiday for boys called White Day where they reciprocate with white gifts like cookies, jewelry, white chocolate, white lingerie, and marshmallows!

  3. Wow, that’s a lot of lights! Everything is so festive, just in a slightly different way than we’re used to here!

  4. Wow. All the lights are gorgeous. How festive and fun!

  5. The lights are gorgeous and I love the winking tree, ha!

  6. From your pictures, all of those lights at night must have been beautiful, Pech. I’m always fascinated about how different cultures celebrate holidays, but I have to say that I don’t share your warm-fuzzy feelings about the KFC Coronal in his Santa gear. To me, he just looks kind of sad and a little weird.

  7. So pretty Pech! I can’t wait to see Japan one of my bucket.

  8. Wow! What beautiful light displays!! I love these so much. And, I’m still pretty intrigued by the pushing of KFC meals for Christmas… that’s such an interesting tradition that surprises me!

  9. Oh, the lights are SO lovely!

    And I totally get a kick out of the “traditional” KFC Christmas dinner!

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