The 5 Best Events in Ginza / Tokyo Nihonbashi, Kanto

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.

Popular in Tokyo, bettara-zuke is daikon radish pickled with koji. The Nihombashi Ebisuko Bettara Ichi market started in the mid-Edo Period in front of Takarada Ebisu Shrine. The market has since expanded to the adjacent Odenmacho and Horidomecho neighborhoods lined with stalls selling bettara-zuke. Other food stalls are operated by Nihombashi's well-known confection makers, Western-style restaurants, eel restaurants, and sukiyaki restaurants. You can thereby also enjoy long-established local food.

The "Hakone Ekiden" is a relay race in which a sash is relayed over 10 sections of the approximately 217km round trip between Otemachi, Tokyo and Lake Ashino, Hakone. Competing in the tournament are a total of 21 universities from the Kanto region, including be the top 10 teams from the previous year, the top 10 teams from the qualifying round, and the top team from the Kanto Student Union qualifiers. The first leg of the race between Otemachi and Lake Ashino is held on January 2 and the return leg on January 3, with large crowds gathering along the route to support the runners. The race has also become a New Year's tradition.

The Ginza Willow Festival is held on May 5th along Nishi-Ginza-dori avenue, designated as Tokyo's Symbol Road. The highlight is a large-scale parade by the Metropolitan Police Department and Tokyo Band Association. The parade features horseback riders, baton twirlers, and popular characters. The many events include Shimbashi geisha performing their Azuma Odori dance, street performers, brass band concerts, and tourist PR booths from across Japan.

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.