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Great Holiday Illuminations in Japan

By , About.com Guide

Are you visiting Japan in winter? Colorful holiday illuminations and Christmas decorations can be seen around the country. Check out some of Japan's beautiful holiday illuminations listed below.

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Tokyo DisneySea Christmas Show Candlelight ReflectionsPhoto (c) Shizuko Mishima

  • Tokyo Disneyland "Christmas Fantasy"
    Period: November 10 - December 25, 2009
    The park is filled with colorful Christmas illuminations. Christmas versions of entertainment shows and holiday parades are held.

  • Tokyo DisneySea "Harborside Christmas"
    Period: November 10 - December 25, 2009
    Enjoy lots of Christmas versions of shows, especially "Candlelight Reflections" which features a floating Christmas tree cannot be missed.
  • Osaka Hikari Renaissance 2009

    The Nakanoshima area in Osaka is surrounded by rivers, and there are lots of cultural facilities, such as Osaka City Hall, Osaka Nakanoshima Library, museumns, and more. Those buildings are beautifully illuminated at night.
    Place: Kita-ku, Osaka City
    Access: Keihandendetsu Train Yodoyabashi Station
    Period: December 1-25, 2009 / December 12-25, 2009 (main performance)
    Time: 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.
    Osaka Travel Guide

    Sapporo White Illumination

    More than 370,000 white lights are decorated in the Odori Park and Sapporo Ekimae-dori street. The light-up continues until mid-February.
    Place: Sapporo-city, Hokkaido
    Access: Subway Oodori Station
    Period: Nov. 27, 2009 - Jan. 3, 2010 (Odori Park)
    Nov. 27, 2009 - Feb. 11, 2010 (Ekimae-dori and Ichijo-dori streets)
    Sapporo Travel Guide

    Sendai Pageant of Starlight

    More than 600,000 lights are hung on the keyaki trees along the Jouzenji-dori, Aoba-dori, and more streets in the city. Sendai is a great place to visit for sightseeing.
    Place: Aoba-ku Sendai-city, Miyagi
    Access: Subway Koutoudai Koen Station
    Period: Dec. 12 - Dec. 31, 2009

    Hiroshima Dreamination

    Hiroshima-city is filled with holiday lights, which image fairy tales. The main area is the Heiwa Odori street.
    Place: Naka-ku, Hiroshima City
    Access: Hiroshima Streetcar Hachobori Stop
    Period: Nov. 6, 2009 - Jan. 3, 2010
    Time: 5:30 p.m.-11 p.m.
    Hiroshima Travel Guide

    Kobe Canal Garden Winter Decoration 2009

    Canal Garden is an entertainment complex in Kobe Harborland. The main attraction here is a 21.5m high Christmas tree.
    Place: Chuo-ku, Kobe-city
    Access: 5 minute walk from JR Kobe Station or Subway Harborland Station
    Peiod: October 31, 2009 -
    Kobe Guide

    Universal Wonder Christmas

    Location: Universal Studios Japan
    Period: November 5, 2009 - January 6, 2010
    Events: Christmas shows are held at daytime and nighttime. You see twinkling holiday lights all over the park, and the main feature is the "Universal Super Christmas Tree" which is one of the tallest Christmas trees in Japan.

    Fukuoka Tower Momochi Blue Light Christmas

    About 100,000 blue lights decorates the Fukuoka Tower and the surrounding area.
    Place: 2-3-26 Momochihama Sawaraku Fukuoka-city
    Access: Nishitetsu Bus Fukuoka Tower Minamiguchi Stop
    Period: November 20 - December 25, 2009
    Time: 9:30a.m. - 10 p.m. / 5:30 p.m. - 11 p.m. (illumination hours)

    Gotenba Tokinosumika Winter Illlumination

    Tokinosumika is a large resort with hotels, hot springs, sports facilities, and so on. The main feature of the winter illumination here is the 430m tunnel of lights.
    Place: 719 Kouyama Gotenba-city, Shizuoka
    Access: 40 minutes by shuttle bus from JR Mishima Station to Tokinosumika / 20 minutes by shuttle bus from JR Gotenba Station / 5 minutes by shuttle bus from JR Iwanami Station
    Period: November 13, 1009 - March 7, 2010
    Time: 4:30 p.m.-10 p.m. (Nov.13, 2009 - Jan.5, 2010)/ 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. (Jan. 6 - March 7, 2010)

    Nagoya JR Central Towers Towers Lights

    JR Central Towers are located on top of the Nagoya Station. Inside and outside of JR Central Towers are filled with beautiful Christmas lights.
    Place: Nagoya-city, Aichi
    Access: JR Nagoya Station
    Period: November 7, 2009 - January 12, 2010
    Nagoya Travel Guide

    Saitama Shintoshin Keyaki Hiroba Brilliant Fantasy

    More than 100,000 lights decorates the Keyaki trees in the Saitama Shintoshin Keyaki Hiroba. Visit Saitama Super Arena to see the lluminations.
    Place: Chuo-ku Saitama-city
    Access: JR Saitama Shintoshin Station
    Period: October 24, 2009 - February 14, 2010

    Queen's Square Yokohama Christmas

    The main attraction here is a large Christmas tree called "the singing tree". Music shows which illuminations on the Christmas tree change with music are held in the evening.
    Place: Nishi-ku Yokohama-city, Kanagawa
    Access: Minato Mirai Line Minato Mirai Station
    Period: November 13 - December 25, 2009
    Time: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
    Yokohama Travel Guide
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