Blue Grotto Shibuya (青の洞窟 SHIBUYA, Ao no Dokutsu) runs from Friday, December 11 to Sunday, December 27, 2026. From 5 to 10 p.m., about 500,000 blue LEDs are scheduled to light the route from Shibuya Koen-dori up to the zelkova avenue in Yoyogi Park.
The lead sponsor, Nisshin Seifun Welna, announced the 2026 details on November 6, including a new main display. This guide reflects the official information as of November 7.
Some listings still show December 4–25. Those are the 2025 dates: this year, Blue Grotto won't be lit until December 11.
Blue Grotto Shibuya 2026 at a glance
Item | Details |
|---|---|
Dates | Fri, December 11 – Sun, December 27, 2026 |
Hours | 5 p. |
Location | Shibuya Koen-dori (公園通り) to the zelkova avenue in Yoyogi Park (代々木公園ケヤキ並木) |
Lights | About 500,000 LEDs |
New this year | THE BLUE TREE, a large Christmas-tree-shaped digital screen in the Yoyogi Park zelkova avenue section |
Nearest stations | JR Harajuku Station or Meiji-jingumae Station (Tokyo Metro), a 10-minute walk according to the organizers; Shibuya, Yoyogi-koen and Yoyogi-Hachiman stations are also options |
Tickets and booking | No ticket sales or booking system announced |
Lighting ceremony | Not announced |
Organizer | Blue Grotto Shibuya Executive Committee (Shibuya Koen-dori shopping street association, Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association, Yoyogi Park Service Center and others) |
Sponsor and support | Nisshin Seifun Welna (lead sponsor); Shibuya City (support) |
For hotels right by the park, see Harajuku & Yoyogi Park Hotels: 5 Picks for Every Budget.
Hotels around Tokyo: availability and rates
2026 vs. 2025: dates and the main display
In 2025, the event ran 22 days, from Thursday, December 4 to Thursday, December 25. The 2026 run is five days shorter but still spans three weekends, as it did in 2025, and continues through Sunday, December 27, two days after Christmas.
Christmas Eve falls on Thursday, December 24 and Christmas Day on Friday, December 25, both inside this year's dates.
2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
Dates | Dec 4 (Thu) – Dec 25 (Thu) | Dec 11 (Fri) – Dec 27 (Sun) |
Length | 22 days | 17 days |
Hours | 5 p. | 5 p. |
Lights | About 500,000 LEDs | About 500,000 LEDs |
Main display | THE SNOWMAN | THE BLUE TREE |
Before you lock in a night, check the Blue Grotto Shibuya official site.
Blue Grotto began in Nakameguro in 2014 and moved to Shibuya in 2016. It was canceled in 2020 and 2021, and the eight Shibuya editions through 2025 drew more than 16.5 million visitors in total.
THE BLUE TREE on the zelkova avenue
THE BLUE TREE is new this year: a large digital screen shaped like a Christmas tree, set up on the zelkova avenue in Yoyogi Park and scheduled to play a Christmas-themed video.
The organizers haven't shared its size, what time the video plays, or whether it stays up for the whole run.
Welna's November 6 press release says more details will be added to the official site as they're confirmed. If the tree is the reason you're going, check the site again before you head out.
Rain, crowds and possible cancellations
The official site says the hours and the program may change because of rain or other circumstances. It doesn't say whether rain alone would cancel a night, so if the weather turns on the night you plan to go, check the site before you leave.
The organizers also say they may cancel it if it gets too crowded. For questions, the press release lists the executive committee's email: info@aonodokutsu2026.jp.
Walking from Shibuya Station to Harajuku
On the official map, the lights start on Koen-dori near the Hachiko exit of Shibuya Station and run uphill to the zelkova avenue in Yoyogi Park. The 2026 length hasn't been announced; in 2025, the route was about 900 meters (just over half a mile) long.
Starting at Shibuya saves the zelkova avenue, where THE BLUE TREE stands, for the end. The route ends about a 10-minute walk from Harajuku and Meiji-jingumae stations, with Omotesando as a natural next stop.
If you'd rather see the tree first, start from the Harajuku side and walk downhill toward Shibuya instead.
The map also shows arrows pointing in opposite directions on the two sides of the zelkova avenue. The site doesn't say whether the paths are one-way, so follow staff directions on the night.
Blue Grotto and Omotesando on the same night
On the other side of Harajuku Station, the zelkova trees on Omotesando are lit from sunset to 10 p.m., Tuesday, December 1 through Sunday, December 27, 2026.
It's a separate event, but it runs on every night of Blue Grotto (December 11–27), so you can see both on the same evening. For where to stand and how to walk the avenue, see Omotesando Winter Lights 2026: Dates, Hours, and How to See Tokyo's Golden Avenue.
If you're still planning a December trip, Japan in December 2026: Tickets and Trains to Book Before You Go covers what sells out before you arrive.
For Christmas markets around the city, see Tokyo Christmas Market 2026 Tickets: Shiba Park, Shin-Toyosu and 6 Free Markets.
This article was translated from the original Japanese with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team. The Japanese version is authoritative.
