Marunouchi's lights are on from today next to Tokyo Station, with Harry Potter spots until 25 Dec
This week's news · Checked 2026-11-12
What happened. The Marunouchi Illumination 2026 (the 25th) is on from 12 Nov 2026 to 14 Feb 2027. About 200 trees along roughly 1.2 km of Marunouchi Naka-dori are lit in gold LEDs. Hours: 16:00–23:00, and 16:00–midnight from 1 to 31 Dec (Marunouchi Illumination Committee; the first evening, 12 Nov, starts at a different time because of the lighting ceremony). From 27 Nov–25 Dec, Gyoko-dori, the avenue between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace, is lit too, 16:00–midnight.
Tokyo's official tourism site, GO TOKYO, says the lights are free to view and about 1 minute on foot from Tokyo Station's Marunouchi South Exit.
This year Marunouchi also has "Harry Potter" spots until 25 Dec (marunouchi.com). For example:
- "Hogwarts Snow Tree", Marunouchi Building 1st floor (Marucube, indoors): a light show 17:00–21:00, every 15 minutes, about 3 minutes each.
- Gryffindor common room with a pop-up shop, Shin-Marunouchi Building 3rd floor: 11:00–21:00 (Sundays and holidays to 20:00).
- "Hogwarts Winter Walk" on Gyoko-dori: 27 Nov–25 Dec, to midnight in December.
The official pages don't mention tickets for these spots. The Christmas market on Naka-dori opens 11:00–22:00 until 25 Dec and sells beer and wine (from 27 Nov). Halal isn't mentioned.
What it means for you.
- In Tokyo any evening until 14 Feb? Walk Naka-dori from Tokyo Station. No ticket, no booking.
- In Tokyo 27 Nov–25 Dec? Pick one evening: Gyoko-dori and the Harry Potter spots are all lit at once. After 25 Dec, only the Naka-dori lights stay.
- With small kids: go to the tree in the Marunouchi Building after 17:00. The show repeats every 15 minutes and it's indoors, so no long wait in the cold.
- Prayer: the Tokyo Station prayer room (inside the JR EAST Travel Service Center, Marunouchi North Exit) opens 10:00–17:00 and fits about 2 people (Visit Chiyoda, checked 11 Nov 2026). Sunset in Tokyo in December is 16:28–16:37 (NAOJ). So pray Asar at the station, and get there before 17:00 if you want Maghrib there too.
- Food: don't plan dinner at the Christmas market. SHINJUKU-TEI's "Ginza" branch in Uchisaiwaicho (next to Hibiya) shows "100% Halal Food" and "Prayer Room Available", open 12:00–21:00 (the restaurant's own page, checked 11 Nov 2026). Full list: Tokyo halal restaurants with a prayer room inside.
- Hotel: check rooms for 2 adults + 2 kids on 7–11 Dec on Tokyo hotels on Trip.com, priced in RM (filter for free cancellation).
Before you fly: Map of 231 halal places & prayer rooms (US$6.99) — December Edition, 15 Nov.
Affiliate links may be used; your price doesn't change. Sources: GO TOKYO, Marunouchi Illuminations 2026; Marunouchi Illumination Committee, Marunouchi Illumination 2026 (PDF); marunouchi.com, MARUNOUCHI BRIGHT HOLIDAY 2026, map (PDF) and Marunouchi Street Park 2026 Winter, all in Japanese; Visit Chiyoda, Tokyo Station prayer room and SHINJUKU-TEI Ginza, checked 11 Nov 2026; NAOJ, sunrise and sunset for Tokyo, December 2026, checked 11 Nov 2026. Checked 12 Nov 2026.