7 Cultural Events in Chiyoda That You Shouldn't Miss

The Illumination along Nakadori in Marunouchi runs from November to February every year and reflects the style and classy atmosphere of the surrounding neighbourhood. There are few gimmicks and the organisers rise above the continuing arms-race in Tokyo Illuminations with an understated display that complements Nakadori's European-style boulevard. The many trees along Nakadori are tastefully lit with eco-friendly LED bulbs, bathing the area in the signature 'champagne gold' colour that says everything about the luxury designer shops and financial powerhouses lining the street. The flagstones and cobbles, the sophisticated sculpture, the myriad of shopping and dining complexes, art galleries, luxury hotels and mixture of glitz with classical facades all conceal what used to be a rather staid and conservative business district. Before that, Marunouchi ('within the enclosure') was within the outer moat of Edo Castle and was the home of the most powerful feudal lords during the Edo period.

One of Japan's largest and oldest festivals, dating back to the 1600s, the Sanno Matsuri is held every other year. Its main procession, the jinkosai, starts in the early morning at the Hie-jinja shrine and returns in the evening, after traversing much of central Tokyo. It includes hundreds of people in traditional dress and ancient costume in a parade of portable shrines (mikoshi) emblazoned with phoenixes, alongside people on horseback, floats, drummers, and more. Enjoy cultural activities like tea ceremony and flower arrangement around town, purify yourself by walking through a thatched circlet at a temple, and beware the Tengu goblins!

The Chiyoda Cherry Blossom Matsuri is held when cherry blossoms are in bloom at Chidorigafuchi Moat, Yasukuni Shrine, and Kanda Shrine, all famous cherry blossom spots. In the evening, the trees are lit up along the Chidorigafuchi walking path and you can rent a rowboat at the Chidorigafuchi boat pier and see the lit-up flowers from the water. Meanwhile, Yasukuni Shrine's Sakura Festival has many stalls, attracting many visitors. On the weekend, free shuttle buses run between the major cherry blossom spots.

Held at Yasukuni Shrine, the Mitama Matsuri festival is one of Tokyo's great Obon festivals, held to honor ancestors. 30,000 bright paper lanterns line the walk to the main shrine, throwing delicate and haunting light onto the footpaths. Mikoshi shrine parades and traditional song and dance troupes take to the street over four days of celebration. As it is a festival of the dead, sometimes pop-up haunted houses are incorporated.

Boasting a history of nearly 1300 years, the "Kanda Festival" at Kanda Myojin is, along with the "Sanno Festival" at Hie Shrine and the "Fukugawa Festival" at Tomioka Hachiman Shrine, counted as one of the big-three Edo festivals. Moreover, it is also one of Japan's big three festivals along with Kyoto's "Gion Festival" and Osaka's "Shinko Festival." There are various events such as the "Shinko Festival" at which people dressed in Heian Period costume solemnly march, the "Tsuke Festival" at which processions of warriors and various floats can be seen, and the miyairi (the re-enshrinement) of portable shrines gathered from the various towns, as well as resplendent festival picture scrolls that are on display from morning till night.

Tokyo Michi Terasu is a late December evening event that illuminates Tokyo Station's red brick Marunouchi station building with full-color LED lighting. Against the dark night sky, the station building lit up in colorful lights looks like a fantasy. The trees and pavement along Gyoko-dori street from the station building to the Imperial Palace are also colorfully illuminated as a "Promenade of Light." There are also German-style Christmas huts selling hot cocktails and mulled wine to heighten the Christmas mood.