Tokyo’s Christmas lights start in early November. As of October 5, 2026, six displays have announced both their dates and their lighting hours: three at Roppongi Hills, one at Ark Hills, the zelkova avenue in Omotesando, and the San San Road in Tachikawa. This guide lists them by start date, with the nearest station and what the organizers have and have not said. Some dates are marked “planned” in the organizers’ own announcements, so check again closer to the day.
In short
- The first to open is the Tachikawa Illumination on November 1, 2026, which runs until January 17, 2027. The Roppongi Hills Keyakizaka Illumination opens on November 5, and Ark Hills on November 7. Omotesando starts on December 1 (planned).
- All three Roppongi Hills displays light up at 17:00. Omotesando and Tachikawa light up at sunset.
- The Roppongi Hills displays end on December 25 or 27. Tachikawa, outside the 23 wards, runs the longest.
- Each display is reached on foot from a station: Roppongi Hills connects directly to Roppongi Station on the Hibiya Line, and Ark Hills is 1 minute from Roppongi-itchome Station.
- None of the announcements says the lights have an entry fee. Only the Tachikawa lighting ceremony is stated to be free to watch.
Checked with official pages on October 5, 2026.
1. Six displays side by side
Depends on the organizer
Lighting times differ by place, so check the hours before you plan an evening: Roppongi Hills lights up at 17:00, while Omotesando and Tachikawa light up at sunset. A time written with a “planned” label is the organizer’s plan as of the announcement. Times use the 24-hour clock; 25:00 means 01:00 the next morning.
| Display | Dates | Lit | Nearest station |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keyakizaka (Roppongi Hills) | Nov 5 – Dec 25 | 17:00–22:00 | Roppongi (Hibiya Line), direct |
| 66 Plaza (Roppongi Hills) | Nov 13 – Dec 27 | 17:00–24:00 | Roppongi (Hibiya Line), direct |
| Mouri Garden (Roppongi Hills) | Nov 13 – Dec 25 | 17:00–23:00 | Roppongi (Hibiya Line), direct |
| Ark Hills | Nov 7 – Dec 25 (planned) | 08:00–23:30; South Tower 07:00–25:00 | Roppongi-itchome, 1 min |
| Omotesando | Dec 1 – Dec 25 (planned) | Sunset–22:00 (planned) | Omotesando or Meiji-jingumae |
| Tachikawa Illumination | Nov 1 – Jan 17, 2027 | Sunset–24:00 | JR Tachikawa, north exit |
All dates are in 2026 unless noted. On the first day, Roppongi Hills says the lighting may start at a different time, and it may change with the crowds. Tachikawa lights up from about 17:55 on the first day only.
2. Tachikawa Illumination (たちかわイルミネーション), from November 1
Tachikawa, Tokyo
This is the “2026 Tachikawa Illumination” on San San Road, which starts at the north exit of JR Tachikawa Station. It runs from Sunday, November 1, 2026 to Sunday, January 17, 2027 and is lit from sunset to 24:00. The organizer’s press release says the first day starts at about 17:55. The official event site says “Light up 17:00, Light down 24:00”, so give yourself a margin on the first evening.
About 600,000 lights decorate a stretch of about 550 m, centered on 48 zelkova trees. A “TACHIKAWA ILLUMINATION” gate stands at the entrance, a photo spot called the “Illumination Node” is in the middle, and the lights extend toward the Akebono entrance of Showa Kinen Park (昭和記念公園, a national government park).
Photo source: Tachikawa-Kita Area Management press release on PR TIMES, October 1, 2026
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The opening ceremony on November 1 runs 17:30 to 18:30 on a special stage in front of the Tama Shinkin Bank head office, and is free to watch. The guest is the idol group Rosy Chronicle (ロージークロニクル). The area in front of the stage is by lottery (free), and the application closes on Thursday, October 15, 2026, on the event site. An opening event with food trucks and live music runs 16:00 to 21:00 the same day. On November 1 a kabuki parade (the Tachikawa Tachihi Kabuki special performance, “O-neri”) also takes place on San San Road in the daytime.
The “TACHIKAWA WINTER MARKET”, with food trucks, a market and live music, runs on December 18, 19, 20, 24 and 25. The event is partly funded by a Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Tokyo Tourism Foundation subsidy for night-time tourism.
Ceremony site address: 3-4 Midoricho, Tachikawa. Google Maps. The official event site is tachikawaillumination.com.
3. Roppongi Hills, from November 5
Mori Building (Roppongi Hills)
Mori Building holds “Roppongi Hills Christmas 2026” from Thursday, November 5 to Friday, December 25. Roppongi Hills links directly to the Hibiya Line’s Roppongi Station: Exit 1C, through the concourse, according to the Tokyo City View access guide. Mori Building says more details will appear on the special site on October 22.
3.1 Keyakizaka Illumination “SNOW & BLUE”
The lights on the roughly 400 m Keyakizaka tree-lined street use about 970,000 white and blue LEDs. They are lit from 17:00 to 22:00, from November 5 to December 25. The sponsor is the Japan Racing Association (JRA). Mori Building says Roppongi Hills has used LEDs since it opened in 2003. For photos, the release suggests the streets near Emporio Armani and near Roppongi Tsutaya Books, from where you can see the whole display from the top or the bottom of the slope.
Photo source: Mori Building press release on PR TIMES, September 30, 2026
Address: Roppongi Keyakizaka-dori, Minato-ku. Google Maps
3.2 66 Plaza Illumination
The entrance square of Roppongi Hills, 66 Plaza, is lit with champagne-gold lights in the trees around it, from November 13 to December 27, 17:00 to 24:00 (until 23:00 on the last day).
Photo source: Mori Building press release on PR TIMES, September 30, 2026
3.3 Mouri Garden Illumination
The Mouri Garden has two shades of gold light with pure white lights scattered like snow. It runs from November 13 to December 25, 17:00 to 23:00.
Photo source: Mori Building press release on PR TIMES, September 30, 2026
3.4 The tree and the Christmas Market
A Christmas tree called “HAUTE COUTURE IN BLOOM” stands in the south atrium on the second floor of West Walk from November 13 to December 25. The Roppongi Hills Christmas Market, in its 20th year, runs from Saturday, November 21 to Friday, December 25, 11:00 to 21:00 at the Grand Roof Plaza (大屋根プラザ). Mori Building says it recreates the market in Stuttgart, Germany, with 10 stalls.
4. Ark Hills, from November 7
Mori Building (Ark Hills)
The Ark Hills Christmas runs from Saturday, November 7 to Friday, December 25 (planned). The illumination is lit from 08:00 to 23:30 at Ark Hills and from 07:00 to 25:00 at Ark Hills South Tower. A Christmas tree stands in Ark Karajan Plaza. The weekly Saturday “Hills Marche” sells Christmas items, and the Akasaka Flea Market on Sunday, November 22 is a Christmas special.
Photo source: Mori Building press release on PR TIMES, September 30, 2026
Ark Hills is 1 minute on foot from Exit 3 of Roppongi-itchome Station (Namboku Line) and 1 minute from Exit 13 of Tameike-sanno Station (Ginza Line), according to its official access page. Mori Building says more details will appear on the special site on October 15.
Address: 1-12-32 Akasaka, Minato-ku (Ark Mori Building). Google Maps
5. Omotesando, from December 1
Mori Building announcement
The zelkova trees along Omotesando are lit from Tuesday, December 1 to Friday, December 25 (planned), from sunset to 22:00 (planned), between the Jingumae intersection and the Omotesando intersection. Both the dates and the hours are marked “planned” in Mori Building’s announcement. The 2025 display was run by the Harajuku Omotesando Keyakikai shopping street association; its illumination page still shows the 2025 event (December 1 to 28, 2025, sunset to 22:00) as of October 5, 2026. The association’s phone number on that page is 03-3406-0988.
Photo source: Mori Building press release on PR TIMES, September 30, 2026
The avenue is served by Omotesando Station (Ginza, Hanzomon and Chiyoda lines) and Meiji-jingumae <Harajuku> Station (Chiyoda and Fukutoshin lines), both listed on the association’s access page. Mori Building says details for Omotesando Hills will appear on October 22.
Location: Omotesando, between the Jingumae and Omotesando intersections. Google Maps
6. What else is announced?
Depends on the organizer
Stamp rally. From November 5 to December 25, Mori Building’s five Hills (Roppongi, Azabudai, Toranomon, Omotesando and Ark) run a stamp rally. You get one stamp for each purchase of ¥1,000 or more (tax included) at one of the five. Stamps at 3 different Hills among the five earn a ¥1,000 coupon usable in stores at the Hills. You need to download the Hills app, sign up (free) and log in, and show the app at the register so that the purchase earns Hills Points.
Toranomon Hills. Mori Building lists Toranomon Hills Christmas from November 12 to December 25, with a “THE WONDER OF CHRISTMAS” tree display in the Station Atrium from November 24 (planned). It did not give lighting hours for Toranomon Hills, so it is not in the table. The special site says details will come on October 23.
Marunouchi. Mitsubishi Estate says the 25th Marunouchi Illumination runs from November 12, 2026 to February 14, 2027, with champagne-gold lights along about 1.2 km of Marunouchi Naka-dori. Its lighting times and other details are due in late October.
7. How do I choose?
Depends on the organizer
- The earliest lights: Tachikawa on November 1, then Roppongi Hills’ Keyakizaka on November 5.
- A late evening: 66 Plaza is lit until 24:00 and Tachikawa until 24:00. Ark Hills is lit until 23:30 (01:00 at the South Tower).
- A bright show right after work: the Roppongi Hills displays all start at 17:00.
- Into January: among the displays in this guide, Tachikawa (to January 17, 2027) and Marunouchi (to February 14, 2027) run past Christmas.
- Combining a few places: The stamp rally rewards stamps from 3 different Hills among Roppongi, Azabudai, Toranomon, Omotesando and Ark.
8. Common questions
When does the Tachikawa lottery close?
The lottery for the front-of-stage area at the November 1 lighting ceremony closes on Thursday, October 15, 2026. It is free, and you apply on the event site.
Can the dates and times change?
Yes. Mori Building marks the Ark Hills and Omotesando dates and times as planned, and says the Roppongi Hills lighting time may change with the crowds. Marunouchi’s lighting times are still to be announced.
How does the stamp rally coupon work?
You get a stamp for each purchase of ¥1,000 or more (tax included) at one of the five Hills, from November 5 to December 25. Stamps from 3 different Hills earn a ¥1,000 coupon for use in the Hills’ stores. You need the Hills app, a free membership and a login.
Sources (checked October 2026)
- Mori Building: CHRISTMAS HILLS 2026 (September 30, 2026) and its PR TIMES version with details; ROPPONGI HILLS CHRISTMAS 2026 (PR TIMES) and the special site
- Tokyo City View: access to Roppongi Hills (PDF) and Ark Hills: access
- Harajuku Omotesando Keyakikai: illumination page (2025 event) and access
- Tachikawa-Kita Area Management: 2026 Tachikawa Illumination (PR TIMES, October 1, 2026) and the event site
- Mitsubishi Estate: Marunouchi winter plans (PR TIMES, September 17, 2026)
