JUST OPENED: Marunouchi Illumination 2026 Lights Up Tokyo Nov 12 - Feb 14, 2027
2026-10-25 · 6 min read
Tokyo's champagne-gold corridor between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace is live again - and this edition runs 95 straight nights.
The 2026 edition of Marunouchi Illumination has been officially confirmed by Mitsubishi Estate to run Thursday, November 12, 2026 through Saturday, February 14, 2027 - a 95-night window that again makes this Tokyo's longest free winter display.
What makes it news this year is that the holiday-branded program (markets, pop-ups, DJ nights) ends Dec 25, 2026, but the champagne-gold tree lighting itself continues all the way through Valentine's Day. If you miss the Christmas rush, there is a full extra seven weeks of near-empty photo opportunities.
⚡⏰ Peak-season rooms go first
Golden Week, Obon, New Year and the sakura and autumn-leaf peaks fill up fast. Once your dates are set, check availability now. Every week you wait, there are fewer rooms to choose from.
The route
About 340 zelkova trees along a roughly 1.2 km stretch of Marunouchi Naka-dori are wrapped in warm-white LEDs that organizers describe as 'champagne gold.' The lit corridor runs from Yurakucho Denki Building north past the Marunouchi Building and ends near Otemachi Place.
Hours and cost
- ●Dates: Nov 12, 2026 - Feb 14, 2027
- ●Hours: 16:00 - 23:00 nightly (lights-off at 24:00 on Dec 23-25)
- ●Admission: free
- ●Nearest stations: Tokyo (Marunouchi exit), Nijubashimae, Yurakucho
Why go now
Where to stay — check live prices
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⏰ Lock in before prices rise — this week's rates may not hold
Weeknights before Dec 10 are the quietest window - sidewalks are walkable and the open-air cafe tables along Naka-dori still have seats. From the second half of December the crowd thickens, and the final weekend before Christmas is standing-room-only on the sidewalks.
Pair it with the Tokyo Station Marunouchi facade at the south end of the corridor and the illuminated KITTE atrium one minute east. Both are free, both are at their peak before 22:00.
Note: Mitsubishi Estate has not yet published the full participatory-content schedule (interactive installations and limited products) and said more details would be released late October 2026 - we will update as soon as they go live.
日本旅行の基本情報
| 項目 | 詳細 |
|---|---|
| ベストシーズン | 春 (3-5月) 桜/新緑、秋 (10-11月) 紅葉 |
| 通貨 | 日本円 (JPY) |
| ビザ | 90 日以内の観光は多数の国で免除 (台湾/韓国/米/EU/香港 等) |
| 言語 | 日本語、観光地は英語 ok、翻訳アプリ推奨 |
| 電源 | 100V / Type A/B プラグ |
| ネット | Wi-Fi/eSIM で確保 (後述) |
| 治安 | 世界最高レベル、夜間一人歩き OK |
💡💡 3 things to book first
Your hotel, your transport pass, and your eSIM or Wi-Fi. Get these done and the rest of the trip is easy.
Hotels — check availability before rooms go
- ✓ Free cancellation on most rooms
- ✓ Compare 28M+ properties
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⏰ Lock in before prices rise — this week's rates may not hold
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⏰ Japan doesn't accept most foreign health cards — one ER visit = your whole trip budget
よくある質問 (FAQ)
- ●日本旅行のベストシーズンは? 春の桜 (3月下旬-4月上旬)、秋の紅葉 (10月下旬-11月下旬)、冬の雪景色 (1-2月) が三大人気。 梅雨 (6-7月) と真夏 (8月) は観光客少なめ、ホテル安い。
- ●予算の目安は? 節約: 1 日 ¥8,000-12,000 (ドミトリー+コンビニ食+電車)、中級: ¥15,000-25,000 (ビジネスホテル+外食+観光)、豪華: ¥35,000+ (旅館+和食+タクシー)。
- ●交通手段は? 都市内は地下鉄・バス、都市間は新幹線が王道。 7 日以上滞在+複数都市なら JR Pass 検討価値あり。
- ●治安は? 世界最高レベル、夜間一人歩きも大体安全。 置き引き・スリは観光地 (浅草、京都) で注意。
- ●言語の壁は? 観光地は英語 OK、ローカルは Google Translate で十分。 翻訳アプリ+オフライン地図を事前 download 推奨。
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