The wonder we found in Germany,
brought to Christmas in Japan
A wish to share the feeling of Germany's Christmas markets here in Japan.
Tokyo Christmas Market began with its founder's wish to bring people joy through events.
Traveling to Germany, bringing home the symbol of the venue, creating the space around it. That spirit still lives on in how we create our venues today.
It all began
with wanting to see people smile
Our founder loved bringing people joy through events. Starting in 2003, the founder worked to bring Oktoberfest, Germany's famous beer festival, to Japan, and wanted to share even more new events with people.
What truly moved the founder was the Christmas market in Germany itself. The wish to share that atmosphere with people in Japan, and the wonder felt there, became the driving force behind the event.
To see people smile. To bring dreams to children and so many others. These feelings were at the heart of every event the founder created.
Bringing that Christmas pyramid to Japan
At the Christmas market in Dresden, the founder saw a Christmas pyramid and wanted to bring one to Japan, too.
Back in Japan, the founder looked into where to get one and, through an acquaintance, was connected with a woodworking company in the village of Seiffen in Germany's Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge). After visiting the workshop there, the founder went ahead and placed an order.
When the pyramid was first set up in Japan, artisans were invited from Germany to assemble it. Since then, artisans in Japan have taken over the assembly.
Turning the wonder felt in Germany into a scene right before your eyes. The Christmas pyramid embodies the founder's vision and all the work it took to make it real.
What the founder set out to create:
a place to step into the world of Christmas
What mattered most to the founder was that the whole venue should feel like the real thing.
Venues in Japan come with all kinds of restrictions on height, decorations and more, so recreating the scenery of a German town exactly as it is isn't easy. Even so, the founder was committed to making venues as close to the real thing as possible.
Decorations, venue themes, music filling the air. The idea of creating a place where you can feel a story unfold is what gives the Christmas market its atmosphere.
That spirit lives on in our venues today
Staying true to the atmosphere of the real thing. That approach lives on in our venue themes and concepts today.
Creating a venue inspired by the village of Seiffen in Germany is one example. So that visitors can feel the world of Christmas, we give each venue a theme and aim for a space that tells a story.
How do we bring the magical event the founder envisioned to life at today's venues? The people who carry on that vision put their hearts into creating each venue.
Magical Christmases, for years to come
Going forward, we will keep cherishing the spirit of Germany's Christmas markets and the wish to bring people joy.
Along with the atmosphere of the venue, we want to carefully choose the goods on offer for their quality and craftsmanship.
Carrying on our passion for the real thing, we will keep bringing you magical Christmas moments. Tokyo Christmas Market will continue to create venues for just that.
