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Keyakizaka lights up Tokyo Tower for Christmas
Keyakizaka is one of the best Christmas photos in Tokyo. Zelkova trees decked with blue lights line the street to give it a winter vibe. In the distance is Tokyo Tower. It doesn’t get better than that in December. This photograph is so easy to get. All you need to do is go to Roppongi Hills.
It is a seasonal photograph. The lights are on from mid-November to Christmas night. Of course, you can take it anytime, but there won’t be any lights for most of the year.
By the way, are you wondering what Keyakizaka means? Keyaki is Japanese for the Zelkova tree. Zaka means hill. Put them together, and it means Hill of the Japanese Zelkovas or any variation on that.
Are there any Tokyo landmarks in this picture?
Well, kind of. On the left of the photo is the TV Asahi building. While it is famous in Tokyo, I doubt many people overseas would know it.
Where is Keyakizaka?
I took these photos from a pedestrian bridge that is over Keyakizaka. All you need to do is walk to the south side of Roppongi Hills (with its great observatory). It is on the south side of the building. The closest (subway) station is Roppongi. Roppongi is served by:
- Toei Oedo line
- Tokyo Metro Hibiya line
Is this information on a map? Yes, it is. Click here to see it on Google Maps.
There are two spots for this photo
- The pedestrian bridge above the road.
- Street level under the bridge. The perspective is different. Cars and people will be bigger in the frame. Zelkova trees and lights stretch above you.
Location pictures
This is the pedestrian overpass:
Problems with this location
- The pedestrian overpass bridge has a large window. You must raise your camera up and over it to get photos.
- Many people take their pictures there during the Christmas period. Luckily, most will quickly take theirs and move away.
- Keep an eye on your shutter speed, as traffic is below.
Wrapping up
The view along Keyakizaka is an excellent picture for the Christmas season. And most importantly, it is easy to take. By the way, this spot is one of my Top Ten spots to photograph Tokyo Tower. I’ll be posting more in the future.
For more Tokyo Tower-related articles, look at: