Christmas markets are traditional events held during the Christmas season in Germany and other parts of Europe. Traditional Christmas markets feature stalls selling miscellaneous goods and gourmet food in squares decorated with Christmas trees, lights and ornaments. In recent years, events that follow the traditional style of the original Christmas markets have also been held in many cities in Japan.

Authentic European style Christmas markets are held at over 50 cities across Japan this year. In this article, we will be looking at the list of the 10 best Christmas markets in Japan in 2024. If you want to experience the authentic European Christmas atmosphere, you should definitely go to a Christmas market in Japan!

---

Munich Christmas Market in Sapporo

An authentic German style Christmas market Munich Christmas Market in Sapporo is held every year in Sapporo City, Hokkaido, which is a sister city of Munich. The market features numbers of booths selling authentic German Christmas dishes, drinks and various Christmas themed products. Special events such as Santa Claus greeting, Saint Nicholas Day, stage performances and live music are also available on some days. The market is held at Odori Park, and can be enjoyed together with Sapporo White Illumination, a spectacular city-wide winter illumination featuring approx 740,000 LED lights.

Date: 22 November to 25 December

Hours: 11:00~21:00

Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/xfQAgaVyLaz4LyA99

Related article: Sapporo White Illumination

Sendai Christmas Market

Sendai Christmas Market is an indispensable seasonal tradition in Sendai City during the Christmas season. This year, the market will be held for 20 days at Nishikicho Park, with Christmas decorations and a 5-meter-tall Christmas tree, the largest in the Tohoku region. There will also be about 30 wooden huts, where you can experience the atmosphere of an authentic German Christmas market. In addition to the hut illuminations, you can enjoy hot drinks, Christmas food, and Christmas goods. The famous winter illumination, SENDAI Pageant of Light is also held at the same time, so you can enjoy two of Sendai’s major winter events.

Date: 6 to 25 December 2024

Hours: Weekday 16:00~22:00/Saturday 12:00~22:00/Sunday 12:00~21:00

Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/3gq6s1RhJwi5W2TJ9

Roppongi Christmas Market

Roppongi Hills Christmas Market is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Japan, celebrating its 18th year this year. It is held at the Roppongi Hills Oyane Plaza, a semi-outdoor open space with a large glass roof. The venue recreates the Christmas market in Stuttgart, Germany, featuring about 10 stores selling German dishes and original Christmas goods. The Christmas market can be enjoyed along with the Roppongi Hills illumination, which heralds the arrival of winter in the streets of Roppongi. Amid the warm city lights that stretch for about 400 meters, you will be greeted by a fantastic sight of the “SNOW & BLUE” lights that evoke a world of silver.

Date: 23 November to 25 December 2024

Hours: 11:00~21:00

Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/iaZ4Vikz2UPFMJFt8

Tokyo Christmas Market

Tokyo Christmas Market is an event modeled after the traditional Christmas market held in Dresden, Germany, and is popular for its authentic German Christmas market atmosphere. It is held at the Meiji Jingu Gaien Baseball Stadium in Tokyo. It is one of the largest Christmas markets in Japan, with 57 food and Christmas goods stores. This year, the space and number of stores have been further expanded, and authentic Christmas goods such as ornaments, snow globes, and stuffed animals imported from various European countries will be available. The 14-meter-tall Christmas Pyramid, the symbol of the event, is also a must-see, which is designed with themes based on Grimm’s fairy tales and European stories.

Date: 19 November to 25 December

Hours: 11:00~21:30

Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/BzxkHcfXzCXv2vKN6

For more Christmas markets in Tokyo, please check the following link ▶ Best Christmas Markets in Tokyo

Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market

Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market is popular for its authentic German Christmas market experience as it’s held in a historical building that incorporates some German architectural styles. At the venue, wooden huts called “Hütte” are lined up, and decorations imported from Germany are used to create a world view that is just like a German Christmas market. Over 50 stores will sell a wide variety of food, drinks, and goods, including traditional German cuisine and Christmas goods. The Christmas tree, the symbol of the event, is a real fir tree about 10 m tall and decorated with about 20,000 LED lights, and special illuminations are lit up every 15 minutes. There is also an illumination roof that stretches about 50 m long, so you can take glittering photos with the Christmas tree.

Date: 22 November to 25 December 2024

Hours: 22 Nov 17:00~21:00/22 Nov to 6 Dec 11:00~21:00/7 to 25 Dec 11:00~22:00

Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/sHcfkdjMxAcNUjzd9

More info: Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market

Nagoya Christmas Market

Nagoya Christmas Market is held annually at the Edion Hisaya Plaza, Hisaya Odori Park in Nagoya City. The market will feature plenty of festive illuminations and photo spots as well as a giant real fir Christmas tree. Authentic German gourmet food and Christmas dishes such as grilled sausages, stew, mulled wine and stollen, and Christmas goods such as ornaments and nutcrackers will be sold at the market. In addition, there will be workshops where you can make your own candles and herbariums. Santa Claus will also greet at the venue on weekends, and 24th and 25th December so visitors can enjoy taking photos with him.

Date: 6 to 25 December 2024

Hours: Weekday 16:00~21:00/Weekend 11:00~21:00/24 and 25 Dec 14:00~21:00

Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/HXHhSp1i7PuZhjMQ9

Christmas Market in Osaka Tenshiba

Christmas Market in Osaka Tenshiba will be held at Tennoji Park, Osaka. The event was held for the first time in 2023 and attracted more than 200,000 people over a total of 25 days. This year, it will also feature a row of German-made wooden huts at the venue, allowing visitors to enjoy the same lively atmosphere as an authentic German Christmas market. A variety of Christmas food, drinks and products will be available as well as workshops offering a hands-on experience making candles and snow globes. There will be also photo spots where you can take photos with Christmas trees and magical illumination.

Date: 29 November to 25 December 2024

Hours: 11:00~21:00

Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/CC4kmmvx941ZmJtg6

Kobe Christmas Market

Kobe Christmas Market is held at Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens, a resort facility located on a mountain at an altitude of 400m, where about 200 kinds of 75,000 herbs and flowers bloom throughout the seasons. During the Christmas season, the Old Castle Square and the entire Herb Garden will be decorated with the Christmas theme, and cute Christmas displays and illuminations with the theme of “Botanical Christmas” can be seen in various places. There will be a Christmas market with German crafts and ornaments, as well as a wide variety of gourmet foods such as mulled wine, beef stew, and cream stew. You can enjoy a heartwarming Christmas unique to the Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens both day and night.

Date: 9 November to 25 December 2024

Hours: Weekday 9:30~17:15/Fri, Sat, Sun and 13 to 25 Dec 9:30~21:00

Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/HXBoLFqPGzXvjNDT8

For more Christmas markets in Osaka and Kobe, please check the following link ▶ Best Christmas Markets in Osaka and Kobe

Fukuoka Christmas Advent

Fukuoka Christmas Advent (formerly known as Fukuoka Christmas Market) has been held for over 10 years in Fukuoka City, expanding its venues every year from Hakata to Tenjin and Nakasu areas. This year, there will be a Christmas market with about 150 stalls and Christmas illuminations throughout the city. With the theme of “Five Senses Christmas”, various contents will be presented based on the three pillars of light, sound and art, and there are many ways to enjoy the event, such as walking around the town while looking at the illuminations, participating in classical opera and pop music events, and eating delicious food.

Date: 1 November to 25 December 2024 (varies depending on the venue)

Hours: 12:00~23:00 (varies depending on the venue)

Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/5E6o5YCeYKoQRLhVA

More info: Fukuoka Christmas Advent

Christmas Market Kumamoto

Christmas Market Kumamoto will be held at three venues in Kumamoto City; Kumamoto Station Amu Plaza, Suizenji Ezuko Park, Hanabata Plaza. Various Christmas foods will be sold at wooden stalls, such as hot wine, hot chocolate, and churros, as well as the gift and miscellaneous goods such as Christmas items, handmade accessories, and candle holders with exclusive designs for the Christmas Market Kumamoto depicting Christmas trees and Kumamoto Castle. During the event, you can watch stage performances by various artists, and there will various contents that can be enjoyed by both children and adults, such as a Christmas jungle gym made of Kumamoto bamboo, and a bonfire experience.

Date: 22 November to 25 December 2024 (varies depending on the venue)

Hours: Weekday 16:00~21:00/Weekend 11:00~21:00 (varies depending on the venue)

Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/7Aotx4uthg88k7Vp7

For more information about Christmas events in Japan, please check following articles, too!

▽Related Articles▽

▼Editor’s Picks▼