JW Marriott Hotel Nara, located in Nara City, Nara Prefecture, will hold its annual "Christmas Tree Lighting 2026" at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, marking the start of the Christmas season.
This year's Christmas theme is "Samarkand Blue," inspired by Samarkand, Uzbekistan, a sister city of Nara City that is often called the "Blue City." The lobby will feature a Christmas tree about 4.5 meters tall decorated in blue and white, along with a gingerbread house handmade by pastry chefs that recreates the streets of the ancient city of Samarkand, filling the hotel with a festive mood.
Scene from 2025
The 2025 gingerbread house
The lighting ceremony takes place around the Christmas tree in the lobby, and Nara Mayor Gen Nakagawa is scheduled to attend. Guests can celebrate an early Christmas with the community through a choral performance by the choir club of local Tezukayama Elementary School, a meet-and-greet with Nara City's mascot character Shikamaro-kun, and a greeting from Santa Claus.
The Christmas lighting, centered on the lobby, will continue through Saturday, December 26.
From Wednesday, November 11 to Sunday, December 20, the hotel is also running its annual charity program, which sends Christmas presents to children at child welfare facilities in Nara Prefecture. Guests choose a card hung on the tree and support a gift for a child by contributing a donation and a message.
Christmas Tree Lighting Overview
- Date and time: Wednesday, November 11, 2026, from 5:00 PM
- Venue: JW Marriott Hotel Nara, 1st-floor lobby
- Main program:
- Christmas tree lighting
- Choral performance by children of Tezukayama Elementary School
- Meet-and-greet with Shikamaro-kun
- Santa greeting
Charity Project "Christmas Wish"
Since 2022, the hotel has run a charity program that delivers Christmas presents to children living in child welfare facilities in Nara Prefecture. Using donations from participants, the hotel purchases the gifts the children have asked for and delivers them with warm messages. This Christmas, visitors can become a Santa Claus for a child.
- Reception period: Wednesday, November 11 to Sunday, December 20, 2026
- Where: JW Marriott Hotel Nara front desk
- Donation: ¥2,500
How to Take Part
- Cards on which about 50 children living at the child welfare facility Aizenryo have written the presents they hope for are hung on the hotel's Christmas tree together with ornaments.
- Participants choose a card and pay the ¥2,500 donation at the front desk. The back of the card has space for a message to the child.
- All donations go toward the cost of the presents the children requested, and the hotel prepares the gifts on participants' behalf. Hotel staff will hand the presents to the children on Tuesday, December 22.
The lead image is for illustrative purposes only (AI-generated).
