Birth of a new place to enjoy the flavor of Tokyo in a sea of illuminations. Report on the Nishi-Shinjuku Illumination Market Lighting Ceremony

The “TOKYO NIGHTTIME PROJECT” is an initiative to energize nighttime tourism in the Nishi-Shinjuku area of Shinjuku, Tokyo.
“Nishi-Shinjuku Illumination Market”, in which the town comes aglow with fairy lights over a stretch of approximately 200 meters, is being staged from November 28, 2024 to January 13, 2025. We report on the lighting ceremony that was held with special guests on the first night of the event in front of the Shinjuku Mitsui Building.

Illumination Market – Painting Nishi-Shinjuku with light, food and art

On November 28, with dusk falling and a faint hint of winter approaching, people slowly started gathering around the high-rise buildings of Nishi-Shinjuku. They were there to witness the start of “Nishi-Shinjuku Illumination Market”, a project which aims to generate nighttime excitement by adorning the main street of the Nishi-Shinjuku with lights and will run until January 13, 2025.

The illuminations light up a stretch of approximately 200 meters on Chuo-dori Street running adjacent to Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. There are also food trucks and a market that is reminiscent of the Edo period, offering visitors an opportunity to enjoy Tokyo’s proud tradition and innovation with all five senses.

The lighting ceremony was held to commemorate the start of Tokyo’s new illumination spot. There were market stalls and a food area, where food trucks adorned with chochin lanterns served a wide variety of tasty fare. One of the food trucks was operated by “Sushi Sakigake”, a sushi eatery that regularly takes its wares out into the streets in the metropolitan area. This truck takes customers back to the origins of Edo-mae sushi, reviving the bygone custom of enjoying sushi at a street stall. Customers can enjoy fresh seafood served with red vinegar, which was the common style during the Edo period. The food area includes numerous other food trucks giving visitors a taste of Tokyo’s diverse food culture including churros, takoyaki, ramen, and more. On this evening, a range of mouth-watering aromas wafted through the air.

Meanwhile, in the market area, there were stalls operated by artists selling a range of small items and accessories. Highly original works, including eco-bags called “azuma-bukuro” made from old kimono, miniature art gardens measuring just around 2 centimeters across, handmade goods made from old denim, and accessories made from quail eggs, drew the attention of visitors. One could certainly get a feel for the diverse culture of Tokyo in each of these meticulously finished goods.

The market, replete with all kinds of foods and products, evoked a sense of the bustle of Shinjuku in its former days as a post town. Moreover, shamisen performances, picture-story shows in Japanese and English, and other entertainment added to the celebratory mood and delighted tourists. Since the market stalls will be periodically changed during the event, you can visit and make new discoveries any number of times.

Aspirations for evolution into a world-famous tourist attraction with the support of the local community

Just past 5 o’clock, with the sky gradually darkening, the lighting ceremony began on the special stage in front of the Shinjuku Mitsui Building. The first person to appear on stage was Mr. Nobuo Satou, Vice Chief Director, Shinjuku Subcenter Area Environmental Improvement Commission. In talking about the newly underway TOKYO NIGHTTIME PROJECT, he related his enthusiasm for “vitalizing Tokyo out of Shinjuku”.

“Shinjuku Subcenter Area Environmental Improvement Commission comprises companies that are based in Nishi-Shinjuku. We want to make Nishi-Shinjuku into a town that is attractive for all people, including visitors, the people who work there, and residents. The Nishi-Shinjuku area is mainly composed of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the high-rise building district, and Shinjuku Central Park, but this event is intended to break down these barriers and bring the area together as one. During TOKYO NIGHTTIME PROJECT, in addition to illuminations and food trucks, projection mapping will be conducted on the side of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, and we anticipate that these activities will energize the nighttime hours. We are grateful that Nishi-Shinjuku has the chance to initiate the challenge of making Tokyo an attractive place during both daytime and nighttime. We will do our best to entertain you, so please come and enjoy yourself.” (Mr. Satou)

Next on stage was Osamu Shimada, Executive Director, Shinjuku Convention & Visitors Bureau, who talked about his desire to convey the attraction of the Nishi-Shinjuku area to many more people.

“Shinjuku Convention & Visitors Bureau has held the Shinjuku Park Cinema Festival, an outdoor film projection event, in Shinjuku Central Park for a few years now. The event venue is adorned with beautiful lights, and I have always wanted this spectacle to someday be made available to many more people. Today, that wish has come true. It’s my wish that TOKYO NIGHTTIME PROJECT will stay in the hearts of visitors for a long time to come. I hope that you can spend the end of this year and the beginning of 2025 here in Nishi-Shinjuku.” (Mr. Shimada)

Nishi-Shinjuku area is not only a popular tourist spot in Tokyo, but it also holds special meaning for the local people. The fact that the area becomes busy with people enjoying the lights is also significant in terms of local development.

Judoka siblings Hifumi and Uta Abe appeared as guests and spoke of their hopes for nighttime tourism

The lighting ceremony also featured special guests. On this day, Japan’s top judokas Hifumi and Uta Abe were invited. Hifumi appeared wearing a tartan check coat, while Uta appeared in a retro-style setup and coat. The two siblings, who still shine on the world stage, talked about their memories of illuminations and winter.

“Tokyo’s glittering cityscape is a real attraction. Especially during the Christmas season, I look forward to eating out at places that have fairy lights! We were born in Hyogo, and I remember how every year we would visit a famous spot for illuminations as a family. This year, I look forward to going shopping for a coat and other things for Christmas.” (Hifumi Abe)

“For me, the symbol of Tokyo is Tokyo Tower. I love the glittering cityscape at night. I remember as a child being held by my father and being taken to see the illuminations. Also, at Christmas time, I remember secretly checking the presents to see if my brother’s present was bigger than mine. This year, I hope to spend a relaxing time while enjoying the lights and holiday mood.” (Uta Abe)

The city of Tokyo shares a common trait with judo in that both are always open to taking on new challenges while at the same time preserving tradition. The special guests were asked about the things they keep in mind as they continue to take on new challenges.

“Judo originated in Japan, but the tactics and rules are always changing. I have always cherished the spirit of “mind, technique, and body”. Judo starts with a bow and ends with a bow, and I have always been driven by the desire to be strong in both mind and body. My goal for the future is to aim for three consecutive Olympic gold medals and keep winning contests up to the Los Angeles Olympics. I intend to keep taking one step at a time on the path of progress.” (Hifumi Abe)

“I always stay aware of the need to change while at the same time cherishing tradition. I want to hold onto and cherish my own principles while taking on new challenges each day. Looking ahead, I hope to keep evolving each year so that I can win gold at the Los Angeles Olympics.”(Uta Abe)

A fantastic spectacle of glittering illuminations in champagne gold

After the special guests finished sharing their hopes and wishes, the MC led a countdown for the lighting of the illuminations. Nishi-Shinjuku nights will bask in the fantastic sparkle of approximately 200,000 LED lights glowing in beautiful champagne gold. With the light reflecting off the autumn colors and buildings of the tree-lined street, the venue was instantly transformed into a glittering oasis.

The Abe siblings expressed their impressions on the new city scene while reminiscing about the past year.

“This scene is so beautiful; I am really moved. If you have maybe made a mistake and are feeling down, I think that just gazing at these illuminations can restore some peace of mind. 2024 is coming to a close, but if I were to sum up this year in a single word, it would be the kanji “ha” meaning “supremacy”. I am glad that I was able to achieve a second consecutive Olympic title, which had been my goal following the Tokyo Olympics.” (Hifumi Abe)

“Since the Paris Olympics were held this year, memories of summer remain strong in me, however, helping out with today’s lighting ceremony has given me a memory of winter. There is still a month to go in 2024, so I just want to keep working hard every day in preparation for the coming year.” (Uta Abe)

Following the ceremony, the two siblings moved to the food truck area to enjoy sushi served by “Sushi Sakigake”. They remarked about how rare and refreshing it was to eat sushi outdoors.

Walking about Nishi-Shinjuku town on a digital stamp rally

Many people enjoy taking a stroll along the main street bathed in light. Some people like to take pictures with their smartphones and post them on social networking sites, while visitors from overseas appear to be greatly interested in the illuminations and Japanese culture. Maybe the scene of Nishi-Shinjuku Illumination Market will spread throughout the world as a new nighttime tourist attraction.

Moreover, the “Nishi-Shinjuku Illumination Stamp Rally” is being held in the area around the venue. By collecting digital stamps that are placed in various locations, participants have the chance to win prizes in a lottery. The prizes comprise items packed with the essence of Tokyo, including goshuincho (notebooks for collecting stamps from Shinto shrines) made from hand-died fabrics by “Somenosato-Ochiai”, a dye studio that has operated in Shinjuku since 1920, 2way tote bags, and stainless-steel bottles.

The digital stamp rally will be held over the duration of the Nishi-Shinjuku Illumination Market. You can casually enjoy the rally on your smartphone while strolling around the hotels and buildings of Nishi-Shinjuku.

Hoping people enjoy a new face of Tokyo, where tradition and innovation intersect

This brought the Nishi-Shinjuku Illumination Market lighting ceremony to an end. A member of the Tokyo Nighttime Project Executive Committee talked about the organizers’ hopes for the event. “Nishi-Shinjuku has so far continued to grow as a business area attracting people and corporations, but now, with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building at the center, initiatives to create its nighttime tourism potential are starting to spread. In TOKYO NIGHTTIME PROJECT, we are working with local residents to implement various nighttime initiatives that are geared to conveying the Tokyo attractions of “tradition” and “innovation”. We hope that many people will come and have a good time during the event.”

The TOKYO NIGHTTIME PROJECT also included “Happy New Year Tokyo 2025”, which was held on New Year’s Eve of 2024. In this event, the New Year was greeted with a spectacular projection mapping show. A report of the day's events, which generated a great deal of excitement, will be posted on this site.
Please look out for further updates as they continue to be posted here.