Anyone who knows me or has ever read any of the previous ‘Countdown to Christmas in Tokyo’ blogs probably thinks I go all in on Christmas almost as soon as Halloween is out of the way but that’s not quite true. Sure, I do like to put the tree up in early November but this year it took a bit longer than expected before it was finally ready on November 9th!! Putting that up online sure does trigger a fair few people!

Furthermore, I do begin watching the Hallmark Channel’s Christmas movies around that time too. They have been an important part of my festive build-up for 6-7 years now. My record tally of watching 69 films in 2021 requires a lot of effort to be beaten. I did manage an impressive total of 55 last year but that was followed up with a more modest number this time.

The total is at the foot of this post but please try to resist scrolling down past everything else just to see what it was!! My dog has been in my company for the majority of them!

Despite the tree and the movies, I actually don’t listen to any festive tunes by choice until mid-December at the earliest. Likewise for other seasonal events like viewing Christmas trees or seeing the winter illuminations. The only one of the latter I did see this time was the Shibuya Blue Cave which I hadn’t visited since 2019!

An (almost) annual (non-festive) tradition for my wife and I is a trip to the cinema. This time we went to United Cinemas in Toshimaen for the first time where we were greeted by a specially decorated ‘Zootopia 2‘ Christmas tree in the lobby.

Incidentally, around the corner from the cinema is the Making of Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo which offers a few attractions outside which we could see for free. That was sufficient for both of us as we’re not really Harry Potters fans though having only ever seen the first movie!

However, we were in Toshimaen to see ‘Back to the Future‘ (1985) on the big screen for the first time in IMAX. We both rate it as our favourite film ever and so really wanted to see it during the one-week it was being shown as part of the 40th anniversary celebrations. Technically we have seen it on giant screens at the Secret Cinema event in the UK and as part of the BTTF In Concert performance but they were very different experiences.

There has recently been a special Back to the Future energy drink on sale (not at the cinema) to mark the occasion but that did not feature as part of my annual light up Christmas traffic lights energy drink challenge!

In terms of food, I’ve pretty much lived a Japanese lifestyle for a long time now but one can never resist the temptation of some good old British food and drink. The crazy prices sure don’t make it easy though! When I heard about The British Shop in Shibuya I had to go and check it out. Twice. It is conveniently located en-route to one of my schools, but I did not want to make it routine though for financial reasons.

Australian food by way of these Four N’ Twenty meat pies was a pleasant surprise that turned up at a shop nearby another school.

Mince pies are of course the more famous pie at this time of the year and, despite their high cost, I always purchase a pack of them in early November when they go on sale. They disappear quickly so that’s why I get them seven weeks in advance.

Elsewhere, these 90 yen bowls of udon and ramen noodles were more up my street in terms of price. This was at conveyor-belt sushi chain and of course no-one goes in such a place and orders those dishes only!

Most people associate Japan with KFC at this time of the year. Whilst I’ve never really been a fan of that particular fast-food chain, I have always been into my crisps and there was even a KFC collaboration with this particular brand. Family Mart’s famichiki has been a huge success since it launched a few years ago and they even have crisps for that flavour now!

That was Christmas 2025 in Tokyo then and if you got this far then I’d like to wish YOU a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Click on the following links to read about Christmas in Tokyo for previous years:

2024   2023   2022   2021   2020   2019   2018   2017   2016   2015

(*) All movies are from 2025 unless noted otherwise…

1. Carry-On (2024); 2. A Royal Montana Christmas; 3. Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper; 4. A ’90s Christmas (2024); 5. Christmas Above the Clouds; 6. A Keller Christmas Vacation; 7. Three Wisest Men; 8. Tidings for the Season; 9. Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story; 10. Melt my Heart this Christmas; 11. Checkin’ It Twice (2023); 12. My Christmas Family Tree (2021); 13. The Snow Must Go On; 14. The More the Merrier; 15. Christmas on Duty; 16. A Newport Christmas; 17. We Met in December; 18. An Alpine Christmas; 19. A Grand Ole Opry Christmas; 20. A Christmas Angel Match; 21. The Christmas Cup; 22. Oh. What. Fun; 23. Christmas at the Catnip Cafe; 24. My Secret Santa; 25. Next Stop, Christmas (2021); 26. She’s Making A List; 27. Single on the 25th; 28. Noel Next Door (2022); 29. Merv: 30. Help for the Holidays (2012): 31. A Scottish Christmas Secret; 32. A Suite Holiday; 33. Tinsel Town; 34. Oy to the World; 35. The Santa Stakeout (2021);  36. Jingle All The Way (1996); 37. Home Alone (1990); 38. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992); 39. A Make or Break Holiday.