Welcome to your Tokyo events guide for this week! Whether you're a local or visiting, there's plenty to keep you entertained through the weekend.

Right now, today Wednesday December third, you're in the middle of one of Japan's most spectacular winter celebrations. The Chichibu Night Festival is happening just outside Tokyo in Saitama, and it's genuinely worth the day trip. This UNESCO recognized event features massive twenty-ton illuminated floats parading through the streets alongside rare winter fireworks lighting up the night sky. The main festivities peak this evening from seven to ten PM when the floats climb steep slopes to the plaza while fireworks burst overhead from Hitsujiyama Park. If you want to head out there, you can catch the Limited Express Red Arrow train from Ikebukuro Station, which gets you there in about eighty minutes.

If you're staying in central Tokyo, the Christmas markets are in full swing and absolutely magical right now. The Tokyo Christmas Market in Jingu Gaien is one of Japan's largest, with a fairy tale theme inspired by Brothers Grimm stories. It's packed with food stalls, crafts, and performances running through December twenty-fifth. For a more sophisticated vibe, Shiba Park hosts a German-style market featuring a fourteen-meter tall Christmas pyramid with Tokyo Tower glowing beautifully in the background. This venue is perfect if you want something a bit more grown-up and romantic.

Looking ahead to the weekend, Tokyo is glowing with winter illuminations everywhere you turn. The Shibuya Blue Grotto starts Friday and runs through December twenty-fifth, featuring five hundred thousand LED lights creating an absolutely stunning blue-themed display through Shibuya Park and Yoyogi Park. If you're after something more upscale, Omotesando's Fendi Illumination runs through December twenty-eighth with a spectacular twenty-three-foot tree lit up with icicle light curtains.

For culture lovers, the Mori Art Museum just opened their new exhibition called Roppongi Crossing twenty twenty-five, running through March twenty-ninth. This showcase features twenty-one contemporary artists exploring the theme of time, and it's an excellent way to experience cutting-edge Japanese and international art.

Don't miss Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi either, which offers stunning winter lights, a Christmas market, and an ice skating rink all in one location.

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