Christmas at Disneyland is back. This year, the classic Disney decorations return, along with a brand-new Christmas parade. The ever-popular Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dreamlights nighttime procession takes on a whole new, Christmassy theme, with Mickey and friends from movies including Aladdin and Toy Story appearing on colorful floats.

The new parade “Toys Wondrous Christmas,” sponsored by JAL, will see a host of Disney characters join Santa, the elves and a whole load of toys. In addition to holiday-themed firework displays, Christmas menus and ornaments, attractions include a Christmassy Country Bear Theater performance, “Jingle Bell Jamboree.”

All aboard for Tokyo DisneySea’s Christmas spectacular. This year includes Mickey Mouse and friends helming a bauble-decked boat, Santa Claus and Christmas-themed merchandise.

The Mickey Mouse Christmas boat will appear at the Mediterranean Harbor to spread festive cheer, joined by Santa Claus to perform a dance for 15 minutes each time. Visitors to the park will be greeted by a spectacular 15-meter-high tree bedecked in tinsel and sparkling lights. A special Christmas menu will be on offer, with guests able to sample special cake and roast beef with all the trimmings.

Hello Kitty, My Melody, Kiki and Lala and more: rejoice! The characters at Sanrio Puroland, Sanrio’s official theme park near Tokyo, are set to get into the Christmas spirit. The park will be lit up with twinkling lights throughout the festive period, and there will be special appearances and greetings.

This year will be extra-memorable, as Jochum, the characters created in collaboration with boy band, JO1, will be at the park for the first time ever. They will appear spreading Christmas cheer on the Sanrio Character Boat Ride. As December 24 marks Kiki and Lala’s birthday, the twins will host an exclusive greeting. Elsewhere, the park and merchandise will be Christmassed-up, and a special food menu will be served.

Yomiuriland’s popular Jewellumination returns for its 15th year. Directed by lighting designer Matoko Ishii, the illumination bonanza lights up the Yomiuriland theme park in 6.5 million LED lights. And that doesn’t include the lasers!

The theme for the 2025–2026 period is “Light is Love,” with the sub-theme of “Light Hop ⤴,” to reflect the next stage in the park’s 60th anniversary, celebrated in 2024. Visitors will be treated to illuminations including carpets of lights, a light show reflected in the theme park waters and lasers and dazzling trees, all powered by green energy.

Along with the Kyoto Gion Festival and the Hida Takayama Festival, Chichibu Night Festival is one of the three great float festivals in Japan. It started over 300 years ago, to express gratitude for the deities enshrined in Chichibu Shrine. The procession contains six floats, two of which are kasaboko — floats that are surrounded by flower parasols.

Thousands of people each year come to see the floats pulled along the designated route, accompanied by musicians and kabuki performers. The performers practise up to one year in advance, in order to perform at the top of the floats themselves. There is also an impressive two-hour-long fireworks display, and stalls selling Japanese festival food and souvenirs.

Asakusa’s Senso-ji Temple, one of Tokyo’s most famous, hosts its triumphant year-end market at the end of December. While the market happens every month, it’s the December edition that attracts the biggest crowds and the most traders.

Known by several names — officially, Osame-no-Kannon Goennichi, as well as Toshi-no-Ishi and Battledore Market — the market of around 50 stalls sells decorative hagiota (battledores) to local people and tourists. The hagiota were traditionally used for a new years game by children. Even though the game is rarely played any more, the wooden paddles themselves are a common part of Japanese new years' tradition, and many houses and establishments will display their own decorated paddle.

Joya no Kane, also known as omisoka, is a Buddhist New Year's Eve tradition that celebrates the coming year with a ceremony of bell ringing. The shrine’s large bell is rung 108 times by local believers and priests.

The 108 chimes represent the 108 earthly passions from the previous year. By striking the bell once for each earthly passion, the souls of those participating are cleansed for the year ahead. Zojo-ji Temple gets very crowded, so if you’d like a spot, we recommend arriving at around 9 PM. At 11 PM, Zojo-ji has an impressive fire ceremony. If you’re near a small, local temple, it’s worth checking out their New Year's events, too.

One of Japan’s most famous exports is sumo, a wrestling sport that dates back over 2000 years. Originally, it was performed as a style of entertainment for the Shinto gods. Nowadays, its rikishi (wrestlers) are lauded and can walk away with over 1 million yen in prize money at the highest levels.

Although the six main professional tournaments are held in January, March, May, July, September and November, the Japan Sumo Association also stages a regional “provincial tour” each December to bring sumo closer to fans around Japan. In these regional venues spectators may still see top-division rikishi make appearances, engage in exhibition matches, take part in ring-entering ceremonies, and even open training sessions, giving punters the chance to experience sumo nearer to home. Below are details for each stop of the winter tour in the greater Tokyo area.
Note: Even if tickets are sold out or the tour dates simply don’t fit into your schedule, you can still experience sumo by visiting a sumo stable, which is the wrestlers’ official training ground. Many stables allow visitors to observe morning practice outside the tournament period, giving you an up-close look at the intensity and discipline behind professional sumo. There are also sumo shows and other experiences letting you enjoy an authentic version of sumo up close.

The world’s best judokas (judo athletes) descend on Tokyo, the home of judo, in one of the most hotly contested competitions in the world judo calendar. Across two days, 260 judokas will compete for ranking and titles, in front of over a thousand spectators.

Competitors come from six continents and 38 countries, with the home team famed across the world and ready to battle to first place. The official competition sees thrilling matches, some decided in seconds, as judokas fight to the top. Even if you’re a long-time judo fan or simply interested in sports, it’ll be an event to remember.

The two winners of Tokyo Contemporary Art Award (TCAA) organized by Tokyo Metropolitan Government and TOKAS, feature in this exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoT) across the Christmas period.

Tetsuya Umeda and Haji Oh, the two winners of its 2025 edition, both present works themed around water and wetland. Umeda is an interactive performance artist who is known for his site-specific works that utilise sound components and invite interaction from the viewer. Oh is an Osaka-born textile artist and Zainichi Korean, who has created large-scale textile works for the exhibition.

The ever-popular Warner Bros. Studio Tour gets a wintery makeover just in time for the festive season. Peep into the Hogwarts Great Hall to see a veritable feast that will be lit by 400 “candles” for the first time ever. The Hogwarts model will turn a snowy white, while fans can wander around a Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade Village that are buried under crisp snow. There will also be a sneak peek into the making of the “footprints in the snow” scene.

Elsewhere, fans will be spoilt for choice in the cafeteria with its special festive menu, and the shop will have warm-whether merchandise on sale, including onesies and festive sweaters.

Since its inception in 2016, Tokyo Comic Con has become a permanent fixture in the global Comic Con calendar, attracting thousands of punters each year. They come to enjoy the myriad booths by brands, including Pop Mart, and Artist Alley, a section of the biggest BTS players in movies. Others dress up and take pictures with their favorite celebrities.

While the Tokyo edition of Comic Con takes its cues from the US, meaning that many of the celebs and movies in attendance are of the Hollywood variety, there’s still a distinct Japan flavor to the programming. This year, guests can enjoy appearances from actors from the Back to the Future franchise, Lord of the Rings and more. Be sure to register in advance for celebrity greeting spots. The Artist Alley section will feature those who are working on movies and franchises such as Power Rangers, Marvel, D.C. and Star Wars.

Tokyo’s tallest structure gets into the festive spirit, with lighting, menus and photo spots. At 634 meters tall, the light-up at Tokyo SkyTree is rather impressive. For Christmas, the tower has three different lighting patterns: elegant, ornamental and Santa Claus.

From the inside, customers can enjoy different themed photo spots across its floors, as well as Christmas-themed menus (vegan snack option included) and limited edition merchandise. Across the period, special performances will take place, including live songs from local acts, and mascot greeting chances from the official SkyTree mascot. Guests who approach a staff member and say the magic words “Dream Christmas” will be able to get a special sticker.