Best Christmas Markets in Japan 2024
Christmas markets are traditional events held during the Christmas season in Germany and other parts of Europe. Traditional Christmas markets feature stalls selling miscellaneous goods and gourmet food in squares decorated with Christmas trees, lights and ornaments. In recent years, events that follow the traditional style of the original Christmas markets have also been held in many cities in Japan.
Authentic European style Christmas markets are held at over 50 cities across Japan this year. In this article, we will be looking at the list of the 10 best Christmas markets in Japan in 2024. If you want to experience the authentic European Christmas atmosphere, you should definitely go to a Christmas market in Japan!
If you are in Kyoto don’t miss this event!
More info: Kyoto Botanical Gardens Celebrates Its 100th Anniversary: LIGHT CYCLES KYOTO
Munich Christmas Market in Sapporo
An authentic German style Christmas market Munich Christmas Market in Sapporo is held every year in Sapporo City, Hokkaido, which is a sister city of Munich. The market features numbers of booths selling authentic German Christmas dishes, drinks and various Christmas themed products. Special events such as Santa Claus greeting, Saint Nicholas Day, stage performances and live music are also available on some days. The market is held at Odori Park, and can be enjoyed together with Sapporo White Illumination, a spectacular city-wide winter illumination featuring approx 740,000 LED lights.
Date: 22 November to 25 December
Hours: 11:00~21:00
Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/xfQAgaVyLaz4LyA99
Related article: Sapporo White Illumination
Sendai Christmas Market
Sendai Christmas Market is an indispensable seasonal tradition in Sendai City during the Christmas season. This year, the market will be held for 20 days at Nishikicho Park, with Christmas decorations and a 5-meter-tall Christmas tree, the largest in the Tohoku region. There will also be about 30 wooden huts, where you can experience the atmosphere of an authentic German Christmas market. In addition to the hut illuminations, you can enjoy hot drinks, Christmas food, and Christmas goods. The famous winter illumination, SENDAI Pageant of Light is also held at the same time, so you can enjoy two of Sendai’s major winter events.
Date: 6 to 25 December 2024
Hours: Weekday 16:00~22:00/Saturday 12:00~22:00/Sunday 12:00~21:00
Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/3gq6s1RhJwi5W2TJ9
Roppongi Christmas Market
Roppongi Hills Christmas Market is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Japan, celebrating its 18th year this year. It is held at the Roppongi Hills Oyane Plaza, a semi-outdoor open space with a large glass roof. The venue recreates the Christmas market in Stuttgart, Germany, featuring about 10 stores selling German dishes and original Christmas goods. The Christmas market can be enjoyed along with the Roppongi Hills illumination, which heralds the arrival of winter in the streets of Roppongi. Amid the warm city lights that stretch for about 400 meters, you will be greeted by a fantastic sight of the “SNOW & BLUE” lights that evoke a world of silver.
Date: 23 November to 25 December 2024
Hours: 11:00~21:00
Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/iaZ4Vikz2UPFMJFt8
Tokyo Christmas Market
Tokyo Christmas Market is an event modeled after the traditional Christmas market held in Dresden, Germany, and is popular for its authentic German Christmas market atmosphere. It is held at the Meiji Jingu Gaien Baseball Stadium in Tokyo. It is one of the largest Christmas markets in Japan, with 57 food and Christmas goods stores. This year, the space and number of stores have been further expanded, and authentic Christmas goods such as ornaments, snow globes, and stuffed animals imported from various European countries will be available. The 14-meter-tall Christmas Pyramid, the symbol of the event, is also a must-see, which is designed with themes based on Grimm’s fairy tales and European stories.
Date: 19 November to 25 December
Hours: 11:00~21:30
Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/BzxkHcfXzCXv2vKN6
For more Christmas markets in Tokyo, please check the following link ▶ Best Christmas Markets in Tokyo
Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market
Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market is popular for its authentic German Christmas market experience as it’s held in a historical building that incorporates some German architectural styles. At the venue, wooden huts called “Hütte” are lined up, and decorations imported from Germany are used to create a world view that is just like a German Christmas market. Over 50 stores will sell a wide variety of food, drinks, and goods, including traditional German cuisine and Christmas goods. The Christmas tree, the symbol of the event, is a real fir tree about 10 m tall and decorated with about 20,000 LED lights, and special illuminations are lit up every 15 minutes. There is also an illumination roof that stretches about 50 m long, so you can take glittering photos with the Christmas tree.
Date: 22 November to 25 December 2024
Hours: 22 Nov 17:00~21:00/22 Nov to 6 Dec 11:00~21:00/7 to 25 Dec 11:00~22:00
Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/sHcfkdjMxAcNUjzd9
More info: Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market
