Tokyo in December and January: Events and Where to Stay

Winter is close, and if you’re thinking about Tokyo over the year-end holidays, it’s worth knowing what’s actually on. The city is lit up until Christmas, the shrines fill on New Year’s Day, and a sumo tournament starts on 10 January, at the front of a three-day weekend. At the end are four hotels that sit close to the events. If you plan to shop, Japan’s tax-free rules also changed on 1 November, and we cover them in a separate guide.

What’s on in December and January

The dates below were checked on 27 October 2026. Where we could only find a date in a secondary source, we say so, and it’s worth a second look at the organizer’s page before you book.

Marunouchi Illumination, 12 November to 14 February

Lights run along about 1.2 kilometers of Marunouchi Nakadori Avenue near Tokyo Station, in the champagne-gold style the district is known for. The organizer’s page lists these dates, and a “Marunouchi Bright Holiday” program runs only from 12 November to 25 December. The display lasts into February, so it works for a January trip too.

Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Midtown, until 25 December

According to Real Japan Guide, citing Mori Building’s announcement, the Keyakizaka illumination at Roppongi Hills runs 5 November to 25 December and the Christmas market on the O-Yane Plaza 21 November to 25 December. The same site reports, citing Tokyo Midtown’s announcement, that Midtown’s winter lights run 26 November to 25 December. Its ice rink stays open until 23 February 2027 and costs 2,000 yen for adults (2,300 yen from 12 December to 3 January), plus 500 yen for skates. The Christmas Hills site from Mori Building confirms that the season at its five Hills locations runs 5 November to 25 December. Roppongi Hills is walkable from Roppongi Station, and Midtown is a few minutes from Nogizaka on the Chiyoda Line.

Tokyo Skytree Dream Christmas, 5 November to 25 December

The Skytree’s own site gives these dates but little else, so check it for what’s actually lit up. Oshiage Station is right below.

Tokyo Christmas Market, 20 November to 25 December

It’s held at Shin-Toyosu from 20 November and at Shiba Park from 4 December. Self Guide Japan reports a ticketed entry of about 1,000 yen on weekdays, 1,500 yen on weekends and holidays and 2,000 yen on 24 and 25 December, with the last days of December selling out first. We couldn’t confirm this against the organizer, so treat the prices as a rough guide.

Comiket 109, 29 to 31 December

The world’s largest self-published manga and fan-art convention takes over Tokyo Big Sight in Ariake, and this one runs three days. The organizer’s site lists the dates, and the venue is under renovation, which limits hall space. Expect very large crowds on the Yurikamome and Rinkai lines, and tight hotel supply around Ariake and Toyosu.

New Year, 31 December to 3 January

Most of Tokyo shuts down. Banks close from 31 December to 3 January, small restaurants mostly close, and convenience stores and chains stay open, according to Hidden Japan Gems, so withdraw cash by 30 December. Meiji Jingu is the biggest first-shrine-visit (hatsumode) site, with queues through Yoyogi Park and the peak on 2 January. We didn’t find its 2027 schedule on the shrine’s English site, so look for its hours closer to the date. Senso-ji in Asakusa is the other big one. Shinkansen Nozomi trains are all reserved seating from 25 December to 5 January, and travel peaks on 29 to 31 December going out and 2 to 4 January coming back.

Grand Sumo January Tournament, 10 to 24 January

It’s held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan, a minute from Ryogoku Station on the JR Sobu Line. The Japan Sumo Association’s ticket page lists 10 to 24 January 2027, with Monday 11 January, Coming of Age Day, as the second day, and says advance sales start on 5 December 2026. Its group-booking page says 6 December, so check which date applies when you buy. The association also says admission prices are being revised from this tournament, and the new prices hadn’t been published when we checked. Real Japan Guide reports that the January tournament often sells out on day one.

We left out a few events whose 2026-27 dates hadn’t been announced, including Senso-ji’s hagoita-ichi battledore fair, which usually falls around 17 to 19 December, and the Shibuya Blue Cave lights. They may be added by the time you plan your trip.

Where to stay for it

These four hotels come from our ranked list of the most convenient, best-rated hotels in Tokyo, so they each passed the same tests there: a 5-minute walk to a Tokyo Metro or JR Yamanote station, a Google rating of 4.4 or higher, and a Booking.com score of 8.6 or higher.

• For the illuminations, Meiji Jingu and Roppongi, Via Inn Prime Akasaka is on the Chiyoda Line, which runs direct to Nogizaka, Meiji-jingumae and Nijubashimae near Marunouchi.
• For Senso-ji at New Year, Hotel Gracery Asakusa and the other Asakusa options are a few minutes from the temple, so you can walk there on the night.
• For Skytree Dream Christmas, Richmond Hotel Premier Tokyo Schole is a minute from Oshiage Station.
• For sumo at Ryogoku, Super Hotel Premier Akihabara, and the other Akihabara options, are a short walk from JR Akihabara, and the JR Sobu Line runs from there to Ryogoku in two stops.

We don’t have a hotel on the list near Tokyo Big Sight for Comiket. If you’re going, book early, because Ariake and Toyosu fill up for the three days.