18 magical Christmas events to help you get into the festive mood in Tokyo

Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea each have 15 metre-tall Christmas trees, all decked out with colourful ornaments and golden garlands. The tree at DisneySea in particular, which will appear at the American Waterfront area, is joined this year with a new tree decorated with ornaments of Duffy and friends at Cape Cod.

Disneyland will run two parades as usual, one in the day and another after dark. The daytime Disney Christmas Stories parade will feature Christmas-themed floats carrying Mickey Mouse and his friends in cosy winter outfits. The evening Electrical Parade Dream Lights, on the other hand, will feature illuminations as well as a special Christmas medley.

Sanrio Puroland offers an alternative way to celebrate Christmas with a lengthy line-up of exclusive events and activities for the holidays. The theme park turns into an illumination extravaganza until December 25. You’ll be feeling the holiday spirit immediately at the entrance, which is decorated with sparkling champagne gold illuminations and yellow poinsettias for the season.

There’s also a designated photo spot there, featuring Hello Kitty and friends riding a shooting star in the back. The main Christmas event at Puroland is a 20-minute parade titled 'Starry Starry Christmas Party' at Puro Village. Little Twin Stars Kiki and Lala, Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll and the rest of the Puro friends will be dressed in star costumes and dancing along to festive music under synchronised illuminations.

This large ice skating rink in Tokyo Midtown’s garden area is surrounded by greenery, but if you go skating in the evening, you'll also get the added scenery of pretty illuminations and a view of the lit-up Tokyo Tower. Wearing gloves is mandatory, so if you want to avoid paying extra for a pair (¥300) sold on site, make sure to bring your own.

The admission ticket includes skate rental, plus a free helmet rental this year. The ice rink will close if temperatures are too warm, so make sure to check the website before heading over.

The ice rink is open daily from 11am-9pm, and the last entry is 8pm (closed on Jan 1).

Head over to Minami-Machida for this adorable Snoopy-themed ice skating rink at outlet mall Grandberry Park. The rink is part of the shopping centre’s Christmas event and can be found at the Oasis Plaza. There are plenty of illustrations depicting Snoopy and his friends, while the rink is also illuminated in seven different colours in the evening.

Gloves are mandatory when skating here and can be purchased at the venue for ¥300. Beginners can either join a ten-minute ice skating lesson daily for ¥1,000, or a 60-minute lesson from 9.30am on December 22, 27, 29, 31 and January 3, 5, 11, 13, 19 and 26. It’s ¥3,500 per person (skate rental included) and reservations have to be made in advance online (form opens December 7) or by phone.

Skate rental is included in the admission fee of ¥2,000 (high school, junior high and primary school students ¥1,700, preschoolers ¥1,200). Visitors who drop by from 6pm will get a discount and pay only ¥1,500 (high school, junior high and primary school students ¥1,200, preschoolers ¥700).

The rink is open from 1pm to 8pm on weekdays and from 11am to 8pm on weekends and holidays; until 6pm on Dec 31. Note that the rink is closed on Jan 1 and Feb 18.

Sagamiko Resort Mori Mori has gone all out for its winter illuminations, featuring over six million dazzling LEDs. This year, there's an entire area dedicated to Japan's beloved laid-back bear, Rilakkuma, along with his sidekick Korilakkuma and other San-X friends like Sumikkogurashi.

You can hop on the park’s Rainbow Chairlift and sail over colourful stripes before reaching the top of a hill, where you'll find a series of illumination art walls showcasing Rilakkuma and his friends. Walk further in to discover a massive Tarepanda inflatable and a bear-shaped igloo with Sumikkogurashi characters glowing in colourful lights.

Be sure to catch the spectacular illumination show at the San-X character stage, where Korilakkuma, Afro-dog and Ebifurai No Shippo perform live with synchronised laser lights for four minutes each. Nearby, a massive Rilakkuma is perched a set of swings, providing the perfect setup for a special photo.

While you’re there, indulge in Rilakkuma and Sumikkogurashi-themed meals and snacks. Enjoy a hearty Sumikkogurashi Bon Pasta or the Meat Doria Plate with San-X characters. Prefer something sweet? Then check out the colorful popcorn sundae or the Rilakkuma pudding in a cup.

The massive Unicorn Gundam statue in front of DiverCity Tokyo Plaza in Odaiba is getting lit up with special winter lights. Until February 16, you can see the robot illuminated in blue, red and yellow to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Mobile Suit Gundam animated series, which first premiered in 1979. While you can see this exclusive light-up from 5pm to 11pm daily, we recommend visiting between 7pm and 9.30pm to also see a special show featuring a short screening of the animation, held every 30 minutes.

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Enjoy the city at its most sparkly – when Tokyo switches on its festive lights and illuminations in autumn and winter