Tokyo Cheapo's "Top Ten Picks For Best Winter Illumination"

Above, the clock tower of the Wako Department Store lit up in 2010. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan may have only about a 2% Christian population, but the country is not at all shy about decking out the tinsel and Christmas lights in the shopping and business districts. They may not necessarily call them "Christmas lights," but there is an abundance of Christmas trees mixed in the displays.

I went to Japan four years ago during the holiday season and was impressed that there were so many Christmas decorations on display in Tokyo and (the other city I visited) Niigata.

Tokyo Cheapo has an article on the "Top Ten Picks For Best Winter Illumination."

They begin with:

We’re not trying to squash the romance and wonder of the season, but winter illuminations have become something of an arms race with the various districts of Tokyo trying to out-gun each other with more and more fantastically produced illuminations. Until recently, it was all about the number of bulbs – LEDs make it possible to string up tens of thousands of twinkly lights without draining all the electricity from the power grid or electrocuting birds on a rainy day. Now, the light-up game has changed with projection mapping, digital choreography and interaction being used to draw in the punters.

Based upon what I saw, going to Japan during the holiday season is a good time for a visit.

To see the top ten, go here.