The “Shinjuku Neon Walk” will be held from November 27, 2025 (Thursday) to January 7, 2026 (Wednesday) in Tokyo, a city where historical traditions from the Edo period and diverse cultures coexist, and where visitors can experience art illumination using the latest technology.
Art of light decorates Nishi-Shinjuku at night
A photogenic art illumination that blends Edo-era heritage with cutting-edge technology will appear on a 200-meter-long stretch of Nishi-Shinjuku from the Chuo-dori (Shinjuku subcenter No. 4 street) underpass exit to Tocho-dori (under No. 11 street).
Visitors can enjoy a “festival of light” that can only be experienced here during this year-end and New Year’s season.
One of the main art illuminations, “Transformirror : The Self Beyond the Mirror” by Daito Manabe, the leader of Rhizomatiks, and artist Kyle MacDonald is an innovative art work that magically transforms the audience’s own images with the help of AI.
When participants stand in front of the camera, their appearance is transformed and they encounter a new image of themselves.
“Light Seeds” glowing among the roadside trees diffuse light that merges with aurora lasers, creating an otherworldly experience, as if visitors were strolling beneath a star-studded sky and enveloping visitors in a symphony of light.
Ambient music is composed by Yuka Kitamura, one of Japan’s leading video game composers known for global hits such as ELDEN RING and the DARK SOULS series.
“EDO GATE” is a luminous ring inspired by the chinowa kuguri ritual at Shinto shrines. Lanterns adorned with the traditional brushwork of Edo calligrapher Unokichi Tachibana, known for his work on the lanterns of Senso-ji, illuminate this gateway where Edo and the modern era converge in light.
Two trees converse through light. The “end” of one year and the“beginning” of the next respond to each other in a poetic interplay of light and sound where past and future intersect. Ambient music composed by rising young composer Dei Natsuki.
“Laser Gateway – Where Light Intersects” is a vibrant field of colorful beams that shift expression with each viewing angle. Capture a photogenic moment as you cross paths. Don’t forget to capture the picture-perfect moment when the light intersects!
“Shinjuku Neon Walk” to explore the Shinjuku area in winter
The “Shinjuku Neon Walk” will also be held at the same time, which will take visitors on a tour of illuminated spots in the Shinjuku area.
First, check the stamp spots on the “Shinjuku Illumination Digital Map” a special map that provides tourist information on the Shinjuku area with fun illustrations. Then, turn on your GPS, head to the spot, and check in to get a stamp.
Depending on the number of stamps, there will be special coupons that can be used immediately at food trucks, hotel restaurants, etc., as well as other original event completion benefits.
📍 Check here for detailed locations of all 10 locations!
Looking for something a little different this holiday season? Head to Nishi-Shinjuku, beautifully lit with art illuminations!
“Shinjuku Neon Walk”
📅November 27 (Thursday) to January 7, 2026 (Wednesday) 4:30pm to 10:00pm
On Wednesday, December 31, the lights are scheduled to remain on until 1:00 am on January 1.
📍 Chuo-dori Avenue in front of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (Shinjuku subcenter No. 4 Street)