I took a long walk around Tokyo on the last Saturday before Christmas to check out its famous Christmas lights and absorb it's Christmas atmosphere. I started from Ginza late afternoon. Ginza is the posh shopping district of Tokyo and equivalent to Oxford Street in London or 5th Avenue in New York. It was busy with shoppers out in force, as it was the last shopping weekend before Christmas. 

Walking around and looking at the Christmas lights, decorations, Santas, Reindeers, gift merchandises impressed me how the atmosphere felt so familiar. There were endless number of stands selling mulled wine, Christmas puddings, minced pies and PA systems playing all the familiar Christmas carols - Jingle bells, Hark the herald angels sing, Silent night, The First Noel and more. As distinct and Oriental the Japanese culture is, it is amazing how well it embraces western culture. And walking around town, it is hard to believe I am actually somewhere in the Far East, as it feels like I could be anywhere in Europe or America. 

The most impressive light shows were around Roppongi which is the area where most foreigners hang out. I don't think I have seen more impressive Christmas lights anywhere. Very impressive, very futuristic and all courtesy of Toshiba!

I finished off my walk with a visit to Roppongi Hills and Tokyo tower, a famous landmark built in the 50's inspired by the Eiffel tower. I then stopped at my regular spots where my foreign and traveller friends meet up at the weekend, and even spotted some Sumo wrestlers! These guys are celebrities in Japan. They are always required to wear their Kimono in public and they get mobbed by fans wherever they go! This guy in the pictures is from Georgia. 

The day had started with a beautiful bright blue-sky with temperatures in the mid teens and ended with a bitterly cold evening with around 3-4 degC. This time of the year, the day's temperature tends to swing from one extreme to another. Some days it goes up to the low 20's and can walk around in a T-shirt but the evenings are cold!