“Twinkling silver with a touch of blue,” a line from Tatsuro Yamashita’s Christmas Eve song, gives an idea of how certain areas of Tokyo look in winter. Given that Japan is almost exclusively Shinto and Buddhist, the popularity of Christmas may seem surprising. In many ways, the Japanese celebrate Christmas as a fun holiday, pretty much like how they treat other Western holidays such as Valentine’s Day or Halloween.
A Gazillion LEDs
One of Tokyo’s most popular Christmas light displays is the Shibuya Blue Cave. When its hundreds of thousands of blue LEDs are turned on, the area is immediately packed with people. If you prefer a quieter atmosphere, the cherry blossom-like lights along the Meguro River make for a relaxing Christmas stroll. The area is located near the Yamanote Line between Gotanda and Osaki stations, just a short hop from Shibuya.
