“Edo Illuminated in OMY District”

Updating Traditional Edo Scenery for the Modern Era!

Illuminations featuring Japanese umbrellas with cherry blossom and floral patterns will be displayed throughout various locations in the Otemachi area.

Harumination

---

Duration：March 3rd,2025 (Mon) – March 7th,2025 (Fri)

“The OMY Area Promotion Council for the Recreation of Edo Scenery will host the ‘Path of Nippon Lights’ event. The 220-meter-long ‘Gyoko Underground Gallery’ will be decorated with Japanese umbrellas, lanterns, and bamboo crafts. This event, which allows visitors to experience the atmosphere of Edo, will take place from Saturday, February 1st to Friday, February 28th.

This event is part of ‘Edo Illuminated in OMY District’, which updates the traditional Edo atmosphere and scenery through various events from January 9th to March 7th (details to follow).
“This scenic decoration is part of Tokyo’s Edo Scenery Creation Project. It aims to create a cultural city with a rich history that attracts both domestic and international travelers. By refocusing on Edo period history, which is less visible in modern office districts, the project updates traditional Edo atmosphere and scenery for the modern era, continuously expressing various Japanese cultural contents.

‘Harumination’, concluding a three-month project, features bold lighting displays using traditional Japanese umbrellas in the quiet business district of Otemachi, home to financial institutions and newspapers. The gentle colors and lights of the cherry blossom and floral-patterned umbrella illuminations express the arrival of spring. Enjoy the enchanting space where the traditional beauty of Japanese umbrellas harmoniously blends with the cityscape.”

 

Event Overview

Name: Harumination, Installation of special Japanese umbrella illuminations– only for this spring season.

Date: Total duration of the event: March 3rd (Mon) – March 4th (Fri)
◎March 3rd (Mon) – March 4th (Tue)
Indoor Exhibitions without lighting only. No outdoor exhibition.
◎March 5th (Wed) – March 7th  (Fri)
Both Indoor and Outdoor Exhibition.
Lighting hours for the outdoor exhibition: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
*In case of rain or strong winds, only the indoor exhibition will go ahead.

Location: Otemachi area
For detailed locations, please refer to the map and the Leaflet URL listed below
https://tokyo-omy.jp/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Harumination-1.pdf

Event Content: Japanese umbrella illuminations will be displayed in the Otemachi area, centered around Otemachi Nakadori Street.

●On Wednesday, March 5th, there will be a Japanese umbrella making experience by a craftsman (free participation / two sessions at 6:30 PM and 7:30 PM, each lasting about 45 minutes / maximum 12 persons per session / canceled in case of rain or strong winds as it is an outdoor event)
●During the event, Japanese umbrella photo service will be available for free.
-March 3rd (Mon) to 4th (Tue) from 13:00 to 18:00 (Indoor: Otemachi Tower, Otemachi One 　  Basement Level 2, at the bottom of the grand staircase)
-March 5th (Wed) to 7th (Fri) from 17:00 to 21:00 (Outdoor: In front of Hoshinoya Tokyo and
Otemachi Forest)

Organizer: OMY Area Promotion Council for the Recreation of Edo Scenery
Constituent organizations: OMY Area Management Association (Ligare)，OMY Landlord’s Council, Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd

Cooperation: Chiyoda City Tourism Association / Tokyo Japan,Wa-llumination Executive Committee ,Otemachi First Square, Otemachi Financial City, Otemachi One, Sankei Shimbun Co., Ltd., ,The Sankei Building Co., Ltd., Tokyo Tatemono Co., Ltd., The Yomiuri Shimbun Tokyo Head Office, Mitsubishi Jisho Property Management Co., Ltd.,

Support: Chiyoda City

 

■About  “Edo Illuminated in OMY District”
This event, part of Tokyo’s Edo Scenery Creation Project, aims to highlight the often-overlooked history of Edo, updating its traditional charm and scenery for the modern era.
Awareness of previously unrecognized history and culture will be raised through various events.
Details here：https://tokyo-omy.jp/omy-council/1744/

■Event currently being held at Gyoko Underground Gallery

Name: “Path of Nippon Lights”
Date: February 1st (Sat) – February 28th (Fri)
Description: At the 220-meter-long Gyoko-dori Underground Gallery located in front of Tokyo Station, bamboo crafts, Japanese umbrellas, and lanterns are on display. The colorful Japanese umbrella lights and lanterns create a calming atmosphere in the modern city space, adding a touch of traditional Japanese charm to the busy lives of people passing by.

Current exhibition at the gallery, “Path of Nippon Lights”

■The origin of “Harumination”
The origin of this project is the “Wa-llumination,” an event featuring Japanese umbrellas illuminated , now in its 7th year and a new tradition in Otemachi. Started in the summer of 2017 by six people who met at “Marunouchi Morning University”¹ the event aims to create vibrancy and share history in Otemachi. Together with umbrella craftsmen, the concept of this event is “Lighting up the town.” Through the calming Japanese light-up of umbrellas and lanterns, it creates a space where people can experience the town’s history and culture.
This year’s ‘Edo Illuminated in OMY District’ features various events with full support from the  Wa-llumination Executive Committee. ‘Wa-llumination’ is held around ‘Light Day’, established by the Light Day Committee², commemorating the invention of the practical incandescent light bulb by Thomas Edison on October 21st, 1879.

¹Marunouchi Morning University is a civic learning opportunities that utilizes the morning hours and the OMY District as its campus. It aims to help individuals design their own ways of living, working, and playing. With over 20,000 participants, it values connections born from empathy and co-creation, providing a space for new challenges and creating new value.

²The Light Day Committee was founded by three lighting-related organizations: the Japan Lighting Manufacturers Association, the Japan Electric Association, and the Illuminating Engineering Institute of Japan.

Wa-llumination’ installation image
*This is a photo from a previous event and differs from this year’s layout.