The Mother Of All Illuminations Theme Parks!
When I was a kid, every year in mid-December we’d all pile into the car and drive around to find the house with the most over-the-top Xmas decorations. No surprise, I am a total, total sucker for Xmas lights. But I never saw anything that even came close to the amazing, blazing Illuminations displays that Tokyo neighborhoods started putting on a few years ago! If you’re in Tokyo with me anytime from the end of November on, you will be dragged around to see them ALL, and don’t even try to get out of it.
But even the fabulosity of the Tokyo Illuminations couldn’t match THIS. This “Illumillions” theme park is way out in Sagamiko (past Takao Station, at the end of the Chuo Line) but it did not disappoint! See for yourself!

If you’d like to visit the Sagamiko “Illumillions” park, take the Chuo Rapid Line to Takao, then change to the local and get off at Sagamiko. It takes about an hour from Shinjuku Station.
Hours: 17:00 – 21:30 (last admission 21:00).
Admission: Adults ¥600, Children ¥400.
There is a map on my website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had. If you want to see amazing Illuminations right in Tokyo, check out the places that had incredible displays in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2017!
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly newsletter Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
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Jonelle Patrick View All
Writing mystery books set in Tokyo is mostly what I do, but I also blog about the odd stuff I see every day in Japan. I'm a graduate of Stanford University and the Sendagaya Japanese Institute in Tokyo, and a member of the International Thriller Writers, the Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters In Crime. When I'm not in Tokyo, I live in San Francisco. I also host a travel site called The Tokyo Guide I Wish I'd Had, so if you're headed to Japan and want to check out the places I take my friends when they're in town, take a look!
Holy Hikari, Batman! That looks way more elaborate than anything I’ve seen back in the rich neighborhoods!
In San Francisco, the rich neighborhoods only have these TASTEFUL displays (strings of tiny DEEPLY UNSATISFYING white lights), so I always head out to the Avenues, where homeowners get their one chance a year to stand out from their neighbors with blinking, flashing, colorful lights AND LOTS OF THEM. heh. But nothing is nearly as good as the ones in Japan. Will you be ashore in time to see them in Tokyo?
We pulled in last Monday! I’m trying to finagle a time to go see them. 😀