Spending your first Christmas in a foreign land may seem like a dream come true for travelers like me. You get to taste just how different something you’ve known since childhood is in other parts of the world. – Zygel Doll Iino

When I arrived in Japan, I had certain thoughts on how Christmas is celebrated here. Coming from a motherland where a vast number of majority are Christians — I grew up placing much respect with regards to the season and it’s relevance and I knew in my heart that I will never experience it here. I expected everything to be just the same; until I was proven wrong. 

Here you’ll also hear Christmas carols in the air when you pass by certain streets. You’ll see people making reservations at restaurants for Christmas parties. You’ll find Christmas costumes and kids lining up for Santa Claus in some malls, and most of all — you’ll see the city transformed into a wonderland of lights and special decorations for the season and I made it my mission to visit as many of these places as possible. 

Join my in my odyssey through cities and parks as I unravel the holiday season in Japan and visit the most beautiful places that’ll warm your heart for the Christmas season. Here are the top 5 most beautiful Illuminations in Tokyo this 2019.

“Illumination” Is the term used in Japan when the country is transformed into a psychedelia of festive colors and holiday decorations that give way to a magical atmosphere. It’s the time of the year – early November to early January, when big cities look like theme parks, restaurants light up with the holiday cheer and Christmas trees —multiple times taller than people are installed outside offices and hotels.

As the Halloween season leaves and make way for the Christmas Holidays, Yomiuri Land also opened it’s theme for the illumination season this year which is JEWELLUMINATION. They lit up the whole amusement park with Jewel inspired colors such as Yellow Sapphire, Emerald Green, Mexico Opal, Ruby Red and many more. You may also catch different decorations such as Halloween decorations and Christmas decorations mixed up together at this time of the year – Early November. 

Normally, Tokyo Dome City is known as the place where Baseball Games Happen and even the Pope himself celebrated mass this 2019. But during the holidays, this place is transformed into a wonderland of lights and this year their themes is all about: Traditional Japanese Styles.