Cocoon City Christmas – Cocoon City is just one part of Saitama Shintoshin. The whole area of Shintoshin is the most Christmassy location I have found in Saitama prefecture to date. But in 2022, we have a Premium Outlets for the first time ever. Could it rival Cocoon City / Shintoshin for the most festival mall in Saitama? We’ll have to wait and see. But in Cocoon city, between the illumination, the markets, the concerts, candle night, crafts and Santa visits, it really is one of the best places to find the Christmas spirit in Saitama. New Years Information added on December 28th 2022.
>>Does Saitama Prefecture have a new contender for the most festive mall in 2022!?<<
Cocoon City Christmas
This article focuses on all the festive events in Cocoon City each Christmas.
- Color changing Christmas Tree
- Winter Illumination
- Christmas Concerts
- Christmas Crafts
- Candle Night
- Christmas Market
- Santa Meet and Greet
Cocoon City New Year
- New Year Bargains and Fukubukuro
- Shishimai
- Street Performance Festival
(1) Colour changing Christmas Tree
Date: November 12th to December 25th 2022
Time: 5 pm to 11 pm
The Christmas tree in Cocoon City is beautiful every year. It is a ten meter tree classically decorated. Since around 2018 it is also a magical tree! On the hour and half hour the tree changes color twice accompanied by projection mapping. There is also at least one other (non magic!) Christmas tree. The Christmas trees are displayed until Christmas night.
(2) Cocoon City Illumination
Date: Saturday November 12th 2022 to Tuesday February 14th 2023
Time: 5 pm to 11 pm
The Christmas tree is just one part of Cocoon City’s annual illumination display. The other illumination is on longer, as the Christmas trees come down on Christmas day. This years illumination theme is “Sparkling Milky Way”. In total there are now eight areas with night illumination in Cocoon City. Until last year it was seven. This year the displays are at Cocoon Hiroba, Keyaki Walk, Hanamizuki Walk, Cocoon plaza, Kotsu Hiroba, the station east deck, Market Mall and Cocoon 1 Plaza entrance. Then there is the illumination at Saitama Shintoshin too.
More information in English on this blog…
(3) Christmas Concerts
Date: December 10th and 11th 2022 (weather permitting)
Time: 10.20 m to 2 pm on Saturday and from 11.30 m to 3 pm on Sunday.
The Christmas Concerts are at the Cocoon Hiroba of Cocoon 2. There will also be Christmas music in neighboring Saitama Shintoshin on December 3rd and again from December 22nd daily to Christmas Day.
(4) Christmas Crafts
Date: select dates in December 2022
Time: from 11 am
Cocoon city are pretty good for the seasonal crafts. Christmas is no exception. Normally they have various crafts throughout December. However, in 2021 they only had two crafts in November. Thankfully 2022 is more like pre-pandemic with a few different workshops scheduled for December.
Homemade Christmas Wreath workshop
Date: December 3rd
Time: 1 pm, 2.30 pm, 4 pm and 6 pm (for about an hour)
Conditions: Upto 15 participants each time slot. You need a ticket to participate. Tickets are distributed from 10 am to people with proof of 2000 yen+ of purchases
Location: 3rd floor Cocoon 2 in front of Uniqlo
Glass bottle Christmas Decorations
Date: December 3rd
Time: 1 pm, 2.30 pm, 4 pm and 6 pm (for about an hour)
Conditions: Upto 15 participants each time slot. You need a ticket to participate. Tickets are distributed from 10 am to people with proof of 2000 yen+ of purchases
Location: 3rd floor Cocoon 2 in front of Uniqlo
Trick Light
Date: December 17th
Time: from 11 am
Conditions: first 150 customers with proof of purchases for more than 1000 yen
Location: 3rd floor Cocoon 2 in front of Uniqlo
Santa Candle
Date: December 18th
Time: from 11 am
Conditions: first 150 customers with proof of purchases for more than 1000 yen
Location: 3rd floor Cocoon 2 in front of Uniqlo
(5) Christmas Candle Night
Date: Saturday December 17th to Sunday December 25th
Time: 5 pm to 9 pm
Undoubtedly the most popular Christmas event at Cocoon City, the candle night has gone from a one night event back in the day to a full week event. Approximately 1000 candles are used, as per the featured photo at the top of the post. They are displayed in Cocoon 2’s Cocoon Hiroba. 2021 was the first year the event was on for a full week. Before that the longest was last year at five nights. You will find more candle nights and Christmas events under the Christmas tag on this blog over the coming weeks.
(6) Christmas Market
Date: Wednesday December 21st to 25th 2022
Time: 11 am to 8 pm (on Christmas Day from 10 am to 8 pm)
The Christmas market is not as big as the one on in the super arena end of Saitama Shintoshin. Each year it is on from December 21st to December 25th. The first four days it is on from 11 am, but on Christmas day it starts at 10 am. It is held at the “Cocoon Hiroba” in Cocoon 2. It maybe cancelled in the event of heavy rain.
(7) Santa meet and greet
Date: December 24th and 25th
Time: 11.30 am, 1.30 pm and 3 pm for about 30 minutes each time.
An essential part of all Christmas celebrations: the Santa Meet and Greet. Each year Father Christmas visits Cocoon City. However, he was unable to visit in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. Thankfully he’s coming back, on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, in 2022.
(8) New Year Sale and Fukubukuro
The Cocoon City sale started on December 26th and will end on Thursday January 12th 2023. Several shops have up to 50% off. Gap will start their sale a little later than the rest, on Thursday December 29th 2022. They will have up to 60% off. See the rest of the participating stores here. The Fukubukuro (Lucky / Happy Bags) will go on sale on New Years Day, January 1st 2023. Most of them will be available from 9 am. There are dozens of lucky bags available at Cocoon City including clothes, baby goods, lifestyle goods… even food. No doubt there will be a queue for the Eggs ‘n Things lucky bag! You can see the full line up here.
(9) Shishimai
Date: January 1st 2023
Time: 11 am, noon, 1 pm, 2 pm and 3 pm.
The Shishimai (Lion) dance is an quintessential part of New Year celebrations in Japan. There are two different type of Shishimai performed at Cocoon on New Years day. Each performance lasts about 30 minutes.
(10) Street Performance Festival
Date: Saturday January 7th and Sunday January 8th
Time: 11 am to 4 pm
You will find even more Christmas events taking place just a minutes walk away at Saitama Shintoshin, such as a Santa parade on December 4th. There is also illumination, Christmas concerts and a Christmas market at Saitama Shintoshin too.
Cocoon City Information
General information for the Cocoon City. Cocoon City is made up of Cocoon 1, Cocoon 2, Cocoon 3 and the park side building. Each building has a variety of shops, services and restaurants in them. Also, there are walk ways and plazas between each building as well as car parking lots.
Opening hours: 10 am to 9 pm
Address:4-263-1 Kishikicho, Omiya Ward, Saitama City
Phone: 048-601-5050
Access: about a one minute walk from JR Saitama shintoshin Station, about an 8 minute walk from JR Kitayono Station
Parking: Cocoon City is open from 10 am to 9 pm, but the cinema opens longer and the parking reflects that. It is open 9.00 am to 1.00 am. 200 yen for 30 minutes, but if you have a Cocoon card or if you spend more than a 1000 yen in one shop you get one hour free parking. If you use the cinema you get 3 hours free parking.
R20211107, previously titled: The 2022 Christmas line up for Saitama’s most festive mall
Thanks. We live near shintoshin and walk through the Keyaki Hiroba / cocoon several times a week
Thanks for telling us what’s on / When
The candle display is spectacular among other things
I really want to see the candle night this year, hopefully we can wing it 🤞 And thank you for reading / commemting 💗