December 2019 events in Tokyo
Plan your December in Tokyo with our events calendar of the best things to do, including illuminations, Christmas markets, concerts and art exhibits
December is when Tokyo turns all sparkly – thanks to the illumination shows, of course – while Christmas markets, ice skating rinks and other seasonal favourites also open up across the city. And the holiday cheer only gets louder as we get closer to New Year's, with a mouth-watering menu of parties, markets and other events taking place over those well-earned vacation days.
Our December highlights
Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Festival
This annual autumn festival at Jingu Gaien centres around the perfectly shaped, sunset-yellow ginkgo trees that form a 300m-long boulevard stretching between Gaienmae and Aoyama-itchome stations. This is Tokyo’s quintessential autumn scenery, which has graced countless Instagram accounts...
Exhibition of Miniature Objects
Get an up-close look at retro miniatures from the pre-war period. Roughly 1,500 miniature objects made by craftsmen from the Meiji era will be on show. The exhibition will be centered around the Minoru Nakata Collection, which consists of about 800 custom-made miniatures...
Open Space 2019
The Intercommunication Center has been hosting these annual, almost year-long media art exhibitions since 2006, and they are so on point that they sometimes end up eclipsing the cultural facility’s other concurrent exhibitions. The latest Open Space show, titled 'Alternative Views', takes a look at how our ideas and perceptions of the world are influenced by the alternative world views propagating through media and technology...
Starcrawler Japan Tour
Formed in 2015, the Los Angeles-based punk rock and alternative band Starcrawler have become a fan favourite in recent years. Their first album, released in 2018, was critically acclaimed, and the band played to sold-out crowds at the four shows of its 2018 Japan Tour as well as at the Fuji Rock Festival...
Drink champagne under ginko trees!
French restaurant Kihachi is situated across a long row of ginkgo trees along Meiji Jingu Gaien. In the autumn, the ginkgo trees turn a spectacular shade of yellow gold and the restaurant is offering five dining plans to celebrate the season. The champagne on the menu is made from the finest grapes of the Montagne de Reims region in France, an area famous for its champagne...
Sankeien Autumn Opening
Yokohama's spacious Sankeien is home to several priceless structures, including a three-storey pagoda from Kyoto, historical teahouses and a feudal lord’s residence. Several of these treasures will be opened to the public over a few autumn weeks, coinciding with the golden red and yellow autumn foliage...
Rikugien Autumn Leaves Light-up
Slap bang in the middle of the city,yet serenely peaceful within its walls, Rikugien Garden is one of the best Tokyo spots to surround yourself with beautiful Japanese landscapes. During autumn’s light-up event, the park’s trees are illuminated with golden lightso that the brilliant colours of changing leaves can be admired at night...
Exhibition of Smells
While most exhibitions are visual, this one invites you to use your nose. Everything from the sweetest scents to the most pungent odors will be featured in this unconventional showcase. The exhibition has previously attracted close to 190,000 visitors with its lineup of items such as surströmming (fermented herring) and stinky tofu, which are considered among the world’s smelliest foods...
Star Wars Identities: The Exhibition
After touring Canada, Europe, the UK and Australia and being viewed by over 2 million people, the X3 Productions and Lucasfilm collab exhibition is finally descending on Tokyo. This special 'Star Wars' exhibit will showcase 200 original props, costumes and artworks from the film franchise, plus tons of interactive pieces designed in consultation with neuropsychologists and psychologists...
Bungu Joshi Haku Sationery Festival
With over 120 vendors o ering approximately 50,000 items, Japan’s biggest stationery festival is lled with goods you won’t find at your average stores. You’ll also be able to customise notebooks and pens by choosing what kind of paper or ink you want...