illuminations
Chōshi Electric Railway gets an A for effort, even if they don’t quite nail the whole Christmas spirit thing…
Tokyo Skytree has a brilliant light display in store for four days only, and it’s designed to represent three of Japan’s signature dishes: tamago kake gohan (egg with rice), o-nabe (Japanese hot pot), and takikomi gohan (seasoned steamed rice).
We appreciate that while many of you are interested in Japan and Japanese culture, not all of you are able to visit the Land of the Rising Sun quite so easily. But Christmas is a great time of year here in Tokyo, what with all the lights, decorations and hand-holding couples, so in order to share the various seasonal sights with you we took the liberty of putting together a little slideshow.
Join us after the jump for a photo tour of Tokyo’s best Christmas illuminations!
Since the opening of the Tokyo Skytree in 2012, Tokyo Tower is no longer the tallest or most fashionable structure in Tokyo. Still, the 56-year-old steel giant has managed to hang onto its reputation as one of the city’s most romantic locales, thanks in part to its location in quiet, sophisticated Shiba-koen as opposed to the boisterous Shitamachi district where the Skytree stands.
This month, Tokyo Tower is doing a little more to set the mood, with a beautiful light display that ties in with Japan’s Tanabata star festival.
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McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
Kyoto’s 100 Demons yokai monster parade returns!
More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
Hamster abandoned at Tokyo ramen restaurant gets new home
Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
Beautiful Sailor Moon manhole cover coasters being given out for free by Tokyo tourist center
The oldest tunnel in Japan is believed to be haunted, and strange things happen when we go there
Super Nintendo World expansion gets delayed for several months at Universal Studios Japan
Rice bran, the skincare product used by Japanese women for centuries and now Chloë Grace Moretz
Weekly
- McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in Tokyo- More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Beautiful new Final Fantasy T-shirt collection on the way from Uniqlo【Photos】
Is the new Shinkansen Train Desk ticket worth it?
Foreign English teachers in Japan pick their favorite Japanese-language phrases【Survey】- All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
Japanese convenience store packs a whole bento into an onigiri rice ball
We try out “Chan Ramen”, an underground type of ramen popular in the ramen community
Monthly
- McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Studio Ghibli releases Kiki’s Delivery Service chocolate cake pouches in Japan
Japan’s bone-breaking and record-breaking roller coaster is permanently shutting down
New definition of “Japanese whiskey” goes into effect to prevent fakes from fooling overseas buyers
Our Japanese reporter visits Costco in the U.S., finds super American and very Japanese things
Studio Ghibli unveils Mother’s Day gift set that captures the love in My Neighbour Totoro
Foreign passenger shoves conductor on one of the last full runs for Japan’s Thunderbird train
Domino’s Japan now sells…pizza ears?
New Japanese KitKat flavour stars Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty
Kyoto creates new for-tourist buses to address overtourism with higher prices, faster rides
Yearly
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely- McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Sold-out Studio Ghibli desktop humidifiers are back so Totoro can help you through the dry season
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
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Studio Ghibli glasses cases let anime characters keep an eye on your spectacles
Beautiful Sailor Moon manhole cover coasters being given out for free by Tokyo tourist center
The oldest tunnel in Japan is believed to be haunted, and strange things happen when we go there
Super Nintendo World expansion gets delayed for several months at Universal Studios Japan
Rice bran, the skincare product used by Japanese women for centuries and now Chloë Grace Moretz
Coca-Cola Japan unveils new sakura design bottle for cherry blossom season 2019
Randomly running into a great sushi lunch like this is one of the best things about eating in Tokyo
Beautiful, intricate drawings of snowflakes from Edo-era Japan
Starbucks releases a special sparkly tumbler in Japan to support diversity
Fukuoka pro-baseball team sells beer cups made from bats used by players
Life-size Lucario may be the craziest Pokémon plushie yet【Photos】
Pokémon Happy Meals from McDonlad’s Japan are the happiest meals of all【Videos】
Petition started to stop Doraemon from constantly showing Shizuka in the bath
Can ‘Make Me Asian’ App Make Japanese People Look Asian Too? We Investigate
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