Tokyo Mega-Illumi is back! It’s got all the crowd pleasers of more remote illuminations displays but is just a two-minute walk from Ōi-keibajō-mae Tokyo Monorail station.
As a veteran of scouting illuminations displays—from the in-town twinklers to the far afield—I can vouch for the fact that the Mega-Illumi designers really did pick the best of the best from every illumination destination and concentrate them all in one place.
In a brilliant play for the Oi Racetrack during the off-season, the site is spacious enough to stage grand vistas of choreographed lights, but designed to be easily walkable. Even if you are no foot warrior (or have mobility issues) you can get primo views of all the attractions without burning out your phone’s steps app.
From pulsing tunnels of light…
…to twinkling illuminated landscapes
…to glowing, color-changing “rice paddies” that are lit by lanterns and traversed by orange bridges
…that cross “streams” winding between the fields
…and finally pour into a mesmerizing, pulsing, ocean of light, Mega-Illumi really delivers the wow of being surrounded by holiday lights
And the landscapes aren’t all sweeping vistas—the paths from one attraction to another wind through “gardens” of glowing bamboo…
…and “plantings” of color-shifting blooms
Even the dull indoor hallways that get you from here to there have been transformed into digital environments that make you want to linger to see all the ways you can walk the light fantastic.
Not only is the animated digital pathway entertaining to watch, it interacts with your footsteps. (Watch the ripples generated by walkers at 00:14 in the video below!)
Finally, no upstart illuminations theme park could hope to compete without a dancing fountain and laser light show…
If you’re in Tokyo this holiday season, Tokyo Mega-Illumi really is worth the price of admission!
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Tokyo Mega-Illumi website (English)
Open: Every day (except December 9) through January 8, 2024
Hours: 16:30 – 21:00
Admission: Ticket prices change according to which day of the week you go,
but the range is: Adults: ¥1000-¥2000, Children: Half of adult price
(It pays to buy them online in advance to skip the lines and get a lower price, and if you go through websites like TokyoCheapo and their partner app, you can shave off even more yen per ticket)
Access options: The Mega-Illumi is still in Tokyo, but it’s a little out of the way, transportation-wise. It’s a two-minute walk from Ōi-keibajōmae Station (on the Tokyo Monorail Line) or you can take a taxi (consult the tab on that link estimating how long it will take from various parts of Tokyo, not including rush hour traffic or check the estimate on your Japan Travel train finder app)
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