Tokyo in December is cold, dry and mostly sunny, and the city is covered in winter lights. East of the Sumida River, December 2026 brings the Tokyo Skytree Town Christmas market and illuminations, bamboo-lantern walks along Tokyo Mizumachi, free LED displays in Kinshicho, the Hagoita-ichi battledore fair at Sensoji on December 17–19, and yuzu baths at local sento on the winter solstice, December 22. This guide covers each one, with dates, crowd tips and what to pack. Where 2026 dates have not been announced yet, we say what happened in 2025.
Updated October 2026 — reviewed by Sunny Pham Sensei (Lệ Nhật Sensei), Japan National Acupuncture License No. 196186 (鍼師) / 195591 (灸師). Written by the Fuji Wellness team, based locally in Edogawa City, east Tokyo.
December 2026 in east Tokyo at a glance
| Event | Where | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Skytree Town Dream Christmas and Christmas market | Oshiage, Sumida | 2025: Nov 6–Dec 25 | 2026 dates not yet announced |
| “Take-akari” bamboo lanterns | Tokyo Mizumachi and Sumida River Walk | 2025–26: Nov 7–Jan 31, 17:00–22:00 | 2026 dates not yet announced |
| Arca Towers Kinshicho illumination | Kinshicho North Exit | 2025–26: Nov 14–Jan 31, 17:00–21:00 | 2026 dates not yet announced |
| Olinas Kinshicho winter illumination | Kinshicho North Exit | 2025–26: Nov 8–Feb 3 | 2026 dates not yet announced |
| Hagoita-ichi (battledore fair) | Sensoji, Asakusa | Thu Dec 17–Sat Dec 19, 2026 | Fixed annual dates |
| Winter solstice yuzu bath (yuzu-yu) | Neighbourhood sento | Tue Dec 22, 2026 | Solstice date from the National Astronomical Observatory |
Christmas Day (December 25) is a normal working day in Japan. The real holiday season starts around December 29, when many businesses close for the New Year. See our New Year in Tokyo 2027 guide for what stays open.
Tokyo Skytree Town: Christmas market and illuminations
Tokyo Skytree Town’s “Dream Christmas” is the biggest seasonal event on the east side. In 2025 it ran from November 6 to December 25. According to Go Tokyo, illuminations ran from 16:00 to 23:00 around Tokyo Solamachi, including the popular Solamizaka slope. The tower itself was lit in special Christmas patterns.
The Christmas market is on the 4th-floor Sky Arena, an open-air terrace at the foot of the tower. In 2025 it had 15 European-style wooden huts, its largest layout so far, and ran from 11:00 to 22:00 (last orders 21:00). Entry was free. Expect glühwein, hot chocolate, sausages, stollen and gingerbread houses, according to the 2025 press release.
Tips:
- Go on a weekday before about 18:00. Weekend evenings and December 23–25 are the busiest times. Christmas Eve in Japan is a couples’ night out.
- See the lights from above. The Skytree observation decks are a good way to see the whole city lit up. Clear December evenings often have good visibility.
- Combine it with Asakusa. Asakusa is one stop away on the Tobu Skytree Line, or a 20-minute walk across the river. See our Skytree area guide.
Tokyo Mizumachi and the Sumida River Walk
Between Asakusa and Skytree, the Tobu railway arches have been turned into Tokyo Mizumachi, a strip of cafés and small shops along the Kitajukken River. The Sumida River Walk, a footbridge beside the railway bridge, connects it to Asakusa.
In winter the area runs “Tokyo Shitamachi Kaiyu Take-akari”, a display of bamboo lanterns and bamboo-ball lights. In the 2025–26 season it ran from November 7 to January 31, 17:00–22:00. The lit section along the river terrace was extended to about 400 metres, and viewing was free (Jorudan announcement). It is gentler than the big shopping-mall displays and makes a good walk from Asakusa to Skytree after dark.
Kinshicho illuminations
Kinshicho is east Tokyo’s main shopping hub, and both big buildings at the North Exit put up free winter lights.
- Arca Towers Kinshicho: about 270,000 LEDs along a 500-metre stretch, themed around Sumida Ward and Kinshicho. In 2025–26 it ran from November 14 to January 31, 17:00–21:00 (Jorudan listing).
- Olinas Kinshicho: a winter illumination on the mall plaza. In 2025–26 it ran from November 8 to February 3 (Rurubu listing).
Neither is huge, but they are free, uncrowded and right outside the station. They are a pleasant 20 minutes if you are staying in Kinshicho or changing trains there. Kinshicho is also our closest major station: Toei buses 錦25 and 錦27 leave the South Exit for the Fuji Wellness area every few minutes.
Hagoita-ichi at Sensoji (December 17–19)
The Hagoita-ichi is Asakusa’s year-end battledore fair. It is held every year on December 17–19, around Sensoji’s last Kannon festival day of the year, “Osame no Kannon” on December 18. In 2026 the fair runs from Thursday, December 17 to Saturday, December 19.
Stalls in the temple grounds sell hagoita: ornamental wooden paddles decorated with padded silk portraits of kabuki actors, geisha, the year’s celebrities and good-luck motifs. They are bought as charms for the New Year, especially for a baby girl’s first New Year. According to Go Tokyo, the fair runs from 9:00 to 19:30 (until 19:00 on the last day). It also includes stalls of traditional crafts with demonstrations. Entry is free, and even if you buy nothing, the walls of paddles make a striking photo.
Visit on the Thursday or Friday afternoon to avoid the Saturday crowds. Small hagoita make good, light souvenirs. Large ones with glass cases are fragile and bulky.
The winter solstice yuzu bath (December 22)
The winter solstice (toji) falls on Tuesday, December 22, 2026, according to the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. On this day many Tokyo sento (public bathhouses) float whole yuzu citrus fruits in the bath. This is yuzu-yu, a custom said to date back to Edo-period bathhouses, when people wished for good health through the winter. The fruit gives the bath a fresh citrus smell, and for many locals it is simply a cosy way to mark the shortest day of the year.
East Tokyo has many traditional sento, especially around Kameido, Kinshicho and Koiwa. Check each sento’s notice board or the Tokyo Sento Association site in mid-December, as not every bath joins in. Basic sento etiquette: wash fully before getting in, keep towels out of the water, and check the tattoo policy before you go. People also eat pumpkin (kabocha) on the solstice, so look for simmered kabocha at set-meal restaurants.
Weather, packing and daylight
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Tokyo’s December normals (1991–2020) are an average daily high of 12.0°C, an average low of 3.8°C, about 58 mm of rain for the whole month and around 174 hours of sunshine. In practice, expect crisp blue-sky days and cold evenings, with snow very rare in central Tokyo.
Pack:
- Layers. Shops, trains and restaurants are warm inside, so a light down jacket over layers is easier than one heavy coat.
- A hat, gloves and a scarf for illumination evenings and outdoor queues.
- Lip balm and moisturiser. December air is very dry.
- Comfortable, warm shoes. Illumination walks and markets add up to a lot of standing and walking.
Sunset in December is around 16:30. Lights usually come on between 16:00 and 17:00, so you can see illuminations early and still have a quiet evening.
Recovering from a busy December trip
December sightseeing often means long flights, cold weather, hours on your feet and many crowded evenings. Fuji Wellness is a licensed acupuncture clinic in Matsushima, Edogawa City, with consultations in English, Vietnamese and Japanese. It is about 20 minutes door to door from Kinshicho, about 30 minutes from Skytree and about 40 minutes from Asakusa. Some visitors book a session between sightseeing days to rest, or to have their neck and shoulders looked at after the flight.
Opening hours are Monday–Thursday 9:00–12:00 and 14:00–17:00, and Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 8:00–12:00. We are closed on Fridays and work by appointment only. For late December, please check our News page or message us for year-end hours. Routes are explained in how to get to Fuji Wellness from Kinshicho, Kameido and Shinkoiwa, and you can book through our contact page.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Tokyo Skytree Christmas market in 2026?
The 2026 dates had not been announced as of October 2026. In 2025 the Tokyo Skytree Town Christmas market ran from November 6 to December 25 on the 4th-floor Sky Arena, from 11:00 to 22:00, with free entry. The 2026 market is likely to follow a similar pattern, but check the official Tokyo Skytree Town site before you go.
When is Hagoita-ichi at Sensoji in 2026?
Hagoita-ichi is held every year from December 17 to 19. In 2026 that is Thursday to Saturday. Stalls are open roughly 9:00–19:30, closing at 19:00 on the last day, and entry is free.
Is Christmas a holiday in Japan?
No. December 24 and 25 are ordinary working days, and shops, museums and transport run normally. Christmas Eve is a popular date night, so restaurants and illumination spots are busy that evening. The main holiday period is the New Year, from about December 29 to January 3.
How cold is Tokyo in December?
Tokyo’s December normals are an average high of about 12°C and an average low of about 4°C, with mostly dry, sunny weather. Evenings feel colder when you are standing outdoors at illuminations, so bring gloves and a hat.
When is the yuzu bath day in 2026?
The winter solstice in Japan falls on December 22, 2026, and many sento offer yuzu baths that day. Not every bathhouse takes part, so check the sento’s notice board or the Tokyo Sento Association site beforehand.
Related reading
- New Year in Tokyo 2027: what’s open, what’s closed and how to plan
- Hatsumode without the crush: calmer New Year shrines in east Tokyo
- Winter wellness in Tokyo: sento and yuzu baths
- Is Kinshicho a good area to stay in Tokyo?
- How to get to Fuji Wellness from Kinshicho, Kameido and Shinkoiwa
Reviewed by Sunny Pham Sensei, Japan National Acupuncture License (鍼師 / 灸師). Travel information is approximate and may change; please check official sources before your visit. Health content on this site is educational and not medical advice.