Tokyo Winter 2025-2026 Travel Guide: What to Do, Where to Stay, What to Wear
- Tokyo Localized
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Tokyo is a cool winter destination, not only literally. If you are planning to visit Tokyo in winter, this is the only guide you need.
While spring and autumn are the most renowned seasons, winter offers a unique and sophisticated charm. The air is crisp and clear, the crowds are significantly smaller at major tourist sites, and the city feels festive with spectacular illuminations.
Tokyo takes winter lights very seriously. Entire districts like Marunouchi, Roppongi, and Shibuya transform into dazzling displays from November through February.
Winter is also the driest season with the clearest skies. You have the highest chance of seeing a perfect, snow-capped Mt. Fuji from observation decks like the Tokyo Skytree or Roppongi Hills.
You can experience Hatsumode (the first shrine visit of the New Year), usually between Jan 1-3, which is a massive cultural event.
Tokyo Winter 2025-2026: What to Wear
Dressing for Tokyo in winter requires a specific strategy because of one unique factor: the extreme temperature difference between indoors and outdoors.
While it is cold outside (typically 2°C to 12°C or 36°F to 54°F), the trains, department stores, and restaurants are often heated to a tropical level. If you wear one giant, heavy sweater, you will be freezing outside and sweating profusely the moment you step onto the subway.
Make sure to wear a base layer. This is the secret weapon. Wear a thin thermal shirt against your skin.
For your mid-layer, a lighter wool sweater, cardigan, or fleece can work. Avoid massive, chunky cable-knit pullovers unless you plan to be outside 100% of the time. You want something that looks good on its own if you have to take your coat off indoors.
For your outer Layer, a warm, windproof coat is best.
For your bottoms, heavier denim or wool trousers are perfect. The wind can cut through thin fabrics, so consider wearing thermal leggings underneath if you plan to be walking outside all day.
Tokyo Winter 2025-2026: Where to Stay
The best strategy for staying in Tokyo in winter is to minimize your exposure to the cold wind by choosing a hotel connected directly to a station or the vast underground walking networks.
Ginza is our top recommendation for winter. Tokyo Station and Ginza are connected by kilometers of underground tunnels. You can walk from your hotel to the subway, to hundreds of restaurants, and to department stores without ever stepping outside in the cold.
Shinjuku can be freezing because of the wind tunnels created by skyscrapers, but it has a secret weapon: the underground tunnels that stretch from the station all the way to Nishi-Shinjuku.
Stay in Roppongi if you want to be in the center of Tokyo's winter light displays.
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Tokyo Winter 2025-2026: What to Do
Beyond the typical tourist route, Tokyo has some incredible winter-specific activities that make the cold season genuinely exciting. Here are some of the coolest things to do in Tokyo this winter, ranging from trendy local spots to classic festive events:
1. Go Ice Skating
Ice skating in Tokyo isn't just about the ice; it's about the vibe and the view. In Tokyo Midtown (Roppongi), you will find one of the largest outdoor rinks in Tokyo, set in a park surrounded by skyscrapers and illuminations. It’s very popular for evening dates.
At Ginza Six, they often host a "Rooftop Star Skating Rink" on its garden terrace. It’s smaller but incredibly chic, offering views of the Ginza district.
2. Enjoy Modern "Sento" (Bathhouse)
If you want to see where the cool crowd hangs out, visit a renovated bathhouse. It is the perfect way to warm up after a day of walking.
In Sumida, this is currently one of the trendiest spots in Tokyo. It’s a traditional bathhouse renovated with a modern, industrial-chic design. They have a craft beer bar and a DJ booth in the lobby. It's tattoo-friendly and very popular with young locals.
3. Experience Winter Illuminations
You can't visit Tokyo in winter without seeing the lights. There are so many spots in Tokyo for winter illuminations.
If you have time for a half-day trip (about 35 mins from Shinjuku), go to Yomiuri Land. It is an amusement park covered in millions of jewel-colored lights. It is overwhelmingly beautiful and was created by a famous lighting designer.
Another is the Shibuya "Blue Cave" (Ao no Dokutsu). This is a short walk from Shibuya Crossing. This street is lined with trees wrapped in blue LEDs, creating a trippy, immersive tunnel of blue light.
In Roppongi Hills, the trees are lit with "Snow & Blue" LEDs, with Tokyo Tower perfectly framed in the background. It is the classic Tokyo winter photo spot.
4. Visit Christmas Markets
Christmas markets are all over Tokyo. The biggest one is at Meiji Jingu Gaien. It features a massive "Christmas Pyramid" imported from Germany, hot wine, sausages, and hundreds of stalls. It requires an entry ticket, but it is worth it for the atmosphere.
5. Experience Late Winter Plum Blossoms
If you are visiting in February, you are in luck. Before the cherry blossoms (Sakura) arrive, the Plum blossoms (Ume) bloom. They are pink and deep red, smell amazing, and are much less crowded. Make sure to visit Yushima Tenjin Shrine or Hanegi Park.
ALSO READ: 10 Best Things to Do in Ueno at Night
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