Ginza December 2025: Complete Guide to Winter Illuminations, Traditional New Year Experiences & Cultural Events in Tokyo
December in Ginza is one of the most vibrant times of the year, where you can experience dazzling illuminations and traditional Japanese year-end events. Ginza, one of Tokyo's premier shopping districts, brings together the latest commercial facilities with traditional shrines and temples within walking distance where you can enjoy illuminations.
This article introduces the major Ginza Event December 2025 activities taking place in and around the Ginza area, organized by category. From illumination events at Ginza's representative commercial facilities to traditional ceremonies at historic shrines, we'll provide detailed information about schedules and venue access, so please check it out.
Beautiful Illumination Events Can Be Enjoyed Around Ginza in December
Around Ginza, multiple large-scale illumination events are held simultaneously within walking distance, each offering a different atmosphere. Here, we've carefully selected five of the most dazzling illumination events you can enjoy around Ginza in December.
Tokyo Midtown Illumination (HIBIYA Magic Time Illumination 2025)
Source:Official website
Tokyo Midtown Illumination (HIBIYA Magic Time Illumination 2025) is an illumination event held at "Tokyo Midtown Hibiya," a complex commercial facility featuring fashion shops and restaurants.
At this event, Tokyo Midtown Hibiya and Hibiya Naka-dori Street in front of it are decorated with elegant and fantastical illuminations based on white.
My personal recommendation spot is the "Park View Garden" on the 6th floor of Tokyo Midtown Hibiya. You can enjoy the beautiful contrast between the lawn area decorated with colorful illuminations and the plantings lit with white lights in an open space enveloped in musical performances.
Please enjoy this limited-time illumination along with shopping at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya.
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- Dates: November 13, 2025 – February 28, 2026
- Access: Directly connected from Tokyo Metro/Toei Subway "Hibiya Station"
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://www.hibiya.tokyo-midtown.com/jp/event/7174/
Marunouchi Street Park 2025
Source:FASHION PRESS
"Marunouchi Street Park 2025" is a large-scale illumination event held on Marunouchi Naka-dori Street and Gyoko-dori Avenue in front of Tokyo Station.
The trees lining the streets around Tokyo Station are decorated with sparkling champagne gold illuminations, enveloping the sophisticated cityscape of central Tokyo in warm light.
My favorite point about this event is that you can view beautiful illuminations while enjoying light meals and warm drinks at the Christmas market and food trucks lined up along the street. You can also savor the latest sweets from luxury hotels, spending a luxurious time for both your eyes and taste buds.
Since this event is accessible on foot from Tokyo Station, the center of Tokyo tourism, please feel free to enjoy the limited-time illuminations at night.
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- Dates: Mid-November 2025 – Late December 2025
- Access: Short walk from JR/Tokyo Metro "Tokyo Station"
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://marunouchi-streetpark.com/
TOKYO SQUARE GARDEN Winter Illumination
Source:Official website
TOKYO SQUARE GARDEN Winter Illumination is a limited-time illumination event held at the large complex facility "TOKYO SQUARE GARDEN." Approximately 170,000 LED bulbs powered by renewable energy brightly illuminate the modern commercial building.
My top pick at this event is the giant Christmas tree approximately 8 meters high. Through collaboration with contemporary artists who work on themes related to social issues such as environmental problems, you can enjoy creative Christmas trees featuring motifs of living creatures and nature.
Inside "TOKYO SQUARE GARDEN," there are cafes and restaurants where you can enjoy Japanese cuisine, and on cold December days, you can relax indoors while viewing the beautiful illuminations.
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- Dates: Early November 2025 – Late December 2025
- Access: Directly connected to Exit 3 of Tokyo Metro "Kyobashi Station"
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://tokyo-sg.com/news/1881
WHITE KITTE Illumination
Source:PR TIMES
WHITE KITTE Illumination is an illumination event utilizing the atrium, held inside "KITTE," a commercial facility directly connected to Tokyo Station.
In the vast atrium space at the center of "KITTE," a real fir tree approximately 13.5 meters high shines with about 30,000 LED lights. Additionally, a pure white veil approximately 100 meters long covers the giant tree, creating a mystical space that feels like being wrapped in a snowy landscape.
At this event, I recommend taking commemorative photos at the photo spot featuring angel wings motif below the tree. Since WHITE KITTE Illumination is indoors, you can safely enjoy beautiful illuminations and take photos even on rainy or snowy days.
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- Dates: Early November 2025 – Mid-February 2026 (5:00 PM – 11:00 PM)
- Access: Directly connected via underground passage from Tokyo Metro "Tokyo Station"
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://marunouchi.jp-kitte.jp/
KYOBASHI EDOGRAND Christmas Illumination
Source:Official website
KYOBASHI EDOGRAND Christmas Illumination is an event held at the complex commercial facility "KYOBASHI EDOGRAND." This facility, which includes a historic building constructed in 1933, offers unique illuminations that blend retro architecture with modern technology.
At this event, the green-filled plaza is decorated with approximately 77,000 colorful lights centered around a Christmas tree about 12 meters high. My recommendation point is that despite being located in an urban area within walking distance of Tokyo Station, you can enjoy illuminations in a sophisticated, quiet space.
Since "KYOBASHI EDOGRAND" is within walking distance from Ginza's main street, please feel free to visit along with shopping in central Ginza.
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- Dates: Mid-November 2025 – Late February 2026
- Access: Directly connected from Tokyo Metro Ginza Line "Kyobashi Station"
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://www.edogrand.tokyo/event/6734
Japanese Culture and Pop Culture Related Events to Enjoy in Ginza in December
FINAL FANTASY IX 25th ANNIVERSARY THE EXHIBITION - The Place We'll Return to Someday -
Source:Official website
"FINAL FANTASY IX 25th ANNIVERSARY THE EXHIBITION" is a special exhibition event commemorating the 25th anniversary of "FINAL FANTASY IX," one of Japan's representative game series.
This Ginza event in December 2025 offers a rare opportunity to experience the world of the RPG game "FINAL FANTASY IX," which was loved worldwide in the 2000s, through development materials and exhibits. Precious materials being unveiled for the first time will also be displayed, ensuring this will be an unforgettable event for Japanese gaming enthusiasts.
Additionally, this event will showcase art works filled with love by "FINAL FANTASY IX" fans, as well as memorable episodes. Along with treasured materials, you can fully experience the history of being beloved by fans for 25 years.
My recommendation for this event includes the ability to purchase limited goods such as character stickers and stationery. Why not get these rare goods, available only during this period, as a souvenir of your Ginza trip?
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- Schedule: November 22, 2025 to December 7, 2025
- Access: Approximately 1 minute walk from JR Keihin-Tohoku Line/Yamanote Line "Yurakucho Station"
- Admission Fee: Advance Ticket 1,800 yen *Advance ticket sales until November 21 (first-come, first-served) / Same-day Ticket 2,000 yen
- Website: https://ffix25-exhibition.com/
Art Aquarium Museum GINZA Winter Exhibition
Source:Official website
Art Aquarium Museum GINZA is a museum where you can experience uniquely Japanese contemporary art woven from goldfish and light. The fantastical space combining Japan's traditional goldfish culture with modern technology offers a distinctive worldview found nowhere else.
This museum hosts themed exhibitions each season, and winter exhibitions are particularly popular for showcasing Christmas and snowy landscapes unique to the season.
I participated in the 2024 exhibition themed around snowy landscapes, and I was memorably captivated by the goldfish floating in the water like dancing snowflakes. At this museum, you can also enjoy distinctly Japanese exhibitions where Japanese culture and contemporary art merge, such as displays imagining shrine torii gates and Japanese gardens.
Since Art Aquarium Museum GINZA is located in the heart of Ginza, please be sure to stop by during your Ginza sightseeing.
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- Schedule: Late December 2025 to Late February 2026
- Access: Directly from Tokyo Metro "Ginza Station" Exit A7
- Admission Fee: Web-only Admission Ticket 2,500 yen / Same-day Ticket Machine Admission Ticket 2,700 yen
- Website: https://artaquarium.jp/
Fully Enjoy Ginza, Where Japan's Top-Class Restaurants Gather, by Participating in Tours!
Ginza is famous as an area where Japan's representative high-end restaurants gather. In Ginza, where many establishments offer high-level Japanese cuisine, participating in gourmet tours with English-speaking guides allows you to efficiently enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine without worrying about language barriers.
For those who want to savor the highest quality sushi and tempura in Ginza, I recommend the "Finest Quality Sushi & Tempura Dining Experience in Ginza." This tour allows you to taste authentic sushi and tempura at Michelin-starred renowned restaurants and hidden luxury establishments.
Additionally, the "Wagyu Beef & Sake Paring Foodie Tour in Ginza" allows you to enjoy the highest quality Wagyu beef and sake tasting.
For foreigners tasting authentic Japanese cuisine for the first time, the unique eating methods and manners might be confusing. By participating in these tours, guides will explain the manners and Japanese food culture, allowing you to enjoy exquisite dishes with peace of mind.
Please note that according to Japanese law, drinking alcohol is limited to those aged 20 and above.
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[Finest Quality Sushi & Tempura Dining Experience in Ginza]
- Meeting point: In front of Lion Statue at Ginza Mitsukoshi near Exit A8 of Ginza Station
- Tour Area: Ginza Area
- Start Time: From 16:30
Finest Quality Sushi & Tempura Dining Experience in Ginza
[Wagyu Beef & Sake Paring Foodie Tour in Ginza]
- Meeting point: JR Shimbashi Station North Exit, in front of black pillar near SAZA Coffee in Ecute Edition Shimbashi
- Tour Area: Shimbashi to Ginza
- Start Time: From 17:00
Wagyu Beef & Sake Paring Foodie Tour in Ginza
If You're Spending the Year-End and New Year Period in Ginza, Experience Ringing in the New Year at Shrines and Temples!
In Japan, there is a traditional custom called "Hatsumode" where people visit shrines and temples on January 1st, the first day of the new year, to pray for good fortune and health in the coming year. Additionally, "Ninen mairi," visiting across the new year from midnight on December 31st to early morning on January 1st, is also one of the traditional year-end and New Year customs.
Tokyo has many prestigious shrines and temples, including shrines that enshrine the ancestral deity of all Japanese people and shrines boasting over 1,000 years of history. Below, I'll introduce shrines where you can experience the New Year transition in the city, so please use this as a reference.
Tokyo Daijingu Shrine
Source:Official website
Tokyo Daijingu Shrine is a shrine that enshrines "Amaterasu Omikami" of Ise Jingu, the ancestral deity of all Japanese people. It is beloved as a deity of matchmaking, where traditional wedding ceremonies are held.
On December 31st, "Oharai," which purifies the defilement of the past year, and "Joya-sai," which expresses gratitude for the year's safety and prays for happiness in the coming year, are held. From midnight on December 31st to January 1st, "Ninen mairi" is also possible, where you can experience the lively New Year atmosphere unique to traditional shrines.
Please experience the sacred year-end events at this historic shrine representing Tokyo.
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Schedule: December 31, 2025 to January 1, 2026
Access: Approximately 5 minutes walk from JR, Tokyo Metro, and Toei Subway "Iidabashi Station"
Admission Fee: Free
Website: https://www.tokyodaijingu.or.jp/
Ginza Area New Year's Eve and New Year Events - December 2025
This guide introduces the best New Year's Eve and New Year celebrations in the Ginza area for tourists visiting Tokyo in December 2025. Experience traditional Japanese customs and festive atmospheres at these historic locations near Ginza.
Kanda Shrine
Kanda Shrine is a representative shrine of Tokyo that boasts a history of approximately 1,300 years since its founding. It is revered by local people as a deity of business prosperity, good fortune, and matchmaking.
Kanda Shrine receives more than 300,000 Hatsumode visitors every year. My favorite point is that you can enjoy the festive atmosphere with many people crowding during the time when the date changes from December 31st to January 1st, despite being in the middle of the night.
Also, on December 31st, a traditional ceremony called "Joya-sai" is held to express gratitude for this year's safety and purify impurities, so please enjoy a traditional Japanese New Year's Eve.
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- Schedule: December 31, 2025 January 1, 2026
- Access: Approximately 5 minutes walk from JR "Ochanomizu Station" (Hijiribashi Exit), approximately 5 minutes walk from Tokyo Metro "Ochanomizu Station" (Exit 1)
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://www.kandamyoujin.or.jp/
Yasukuni Shrine
Yasukuni Shrine is a historic shrine founded in 1869. This shrine enshrines warriors and military personnel who died in domestic and international wars and conflicts, making it an unusual shrine that differs from typical shrines that enshrine ancient gods and emperors.
At Yasukuni Shrine, it is open all night from around noon on December 31st until the evening of January 1st, and you can worship relatively leisurely in the vast grounds. If you visit in the afternoon of December 31st, you can also observe traditional ceremonies such as "Oharae" and "Joya-sai."
Since there is also a carefully maintained Japanese garden within the grounds, please experience the lively New Year's atmosphere while being healed by traditional architecture and nature in the heart of the city center.
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- Schedule: December 31, 2025 January 1, 2026
- Access: Approximately 5 minutes walk from Exit 1 of Tokyo Metro "Kudanshita Station"
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://www.yasukuni.or.jp/
The Author Also Recommends Visiting Nearby Temples Where You Can Enjoy "Joya no Kane"
"Joya no Kane" is a traditional Japanese ritual in which temple bells are struck 108 times from midnight on December 31st through January 1st. This ritual carries the meaning of dispelling and purifying the 108 worldly desires of humans.
Since there are no temples in Ginza where you can hear "Joya no Kane," I will introduce three carefully selected spots around the Ginza area where you can experience it. Please use this as a reference.
Tsukiji Hongwanji
Tsukiji Hongwanji is located in the Tsukiji area and is a temple characterized by its unique appearance that evokes ancient Buddhist architecture from India and other places. The main hall is adorned with colorful stained glass and animal carvings, allowing you to experience a unique temple where an oriental atmosphere merges with Japanese Buddhist culture.
At Tsukiji Hongwanji, the main hall opens at 21:00 on December 31st, and "Joya no Kane" begins. The solemn sound of the bell echoes throughout the grounds, allowing you to cut off worldly desires and welcome the New Year with a pure heart. This temple has good access, being just a short walk from the nearest Tsukiji Station, so please participate.
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- Schedule: December 31, 2025 January 1, 2026
- Access: Directly connected from Tokyo Metro "Tsukiji Station" (Exit 1)
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://tsukijihongwanji.jp/
Sensoji
Sensoji is Tokyo's oldest temple with a history of approximately 1,400 years. It is famous for its Kaminari-mon Gate with a large red lantern and is a representative tourist spot in Tokyo that enjoys high popularity among foreign tourists as well.
At Sensoji, "Joya no Kane" begins at 0:00 on January 1st at "Bentendo Hall," a small hill located southeast of the main hall. When I participated, I was impressed by the sight of worshippers cheering and applauding at the sound of the first bell, instantly enveloping the area in a festive mood.
Why not pray for New Year's happiness while listening to "Joya no Kane" at Sensoji, one of Tokyo's most historic temples?
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- Schedule: December 31, 2025 January 1, 2026
- Access: Approximately 5 minutes walk from "Asakusa Station" on Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway, Tobu Railway, and Tsukuba Express
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://www.senso-ji.jp/annual_event/24.html
Zojoji
Zojoji is one of the seven great head temples of the Jodo sect, located right near Tokyo's landmark "Tokyo Tower."
At Zojoji, you can listen to "Joya no Kane" with Tokyo Tower as a backdrop and enjoy a special experience that fuses Tokyo-like scenery with traditional culture. "Joya no Kane" is rung at 0:00 on January 1st, the moment the date changes from December 31st, and a traditional ceremony celebrating the New Year is held in the main hall.
At Zojoji, if you apply in advance, general worshippers can also ring "Joya no Kane." Please actually experience traditional Japanese New Year culture and create unforgettable memories of your trip to Japan.
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- Schedule: December 31, 2025 January 1, 2026
- Access: Approximately 3 minutes walk from Toei Subway "Onarimon Station"
- Admission: Free (Paid if ringing "Joya no Kane," advance application required)
- Website: https://www.zojoji.or.jp/event/ev_hatsumoude.html
