Your Christmas in Tokyo

Luckily for Christmas lovers, the Yule festivities are balanced neatly over a weekend this year, meaning that party, splurge and rest sit comfortably side by side. So, without further ado, here are our Tokyo recommendations for Christmas weekend, 2010.

Eat
Having searched around for the best Christmas dinners on offer this year, we’re recommending you try and get in for Gordon Ramsey’s ‘Perfect Christmas Lunch’, over at Cerise. Turkey and treats abound, but it’s the promise of plum pudding and brandy butter that has our mouths really flooding.
Cerise contact details and location

Drink and make merry
If you’re keen on the idea of partying with the Time Out Tokyo crew (and, frankly, who wouldn’t be?), you’d do well to join us at the Time Out Cafe Time Out Café for Takkyu Ishino’s very intimate Xmas nightmare. We’re very much hoping the nightmare never ends...
Ishino Santa presents Nightmare on Xmas

Shop
Okay, so you’re probably shopped out, but it’s amazing how the energy to buy floods back on December 26. Just in time, then, to catch the last day of the Ban Rom Sai craft market. It is run in aid of an excellent cause, and the stuff on sale is top notch.
Ban Rom Sai market location details

Watch
In the mood for a film? Tron: Legacy may not be the best flick of the year, but for a bit of innocent holiday entertainment, you could do far worse. Don’t believe us? Just ask the star...
Time Out Tokyo chats with Oscar winner, Jeff Bridges

Relax
In case you’re in need of an excuse to escape the city’s concrete confines and head back to nature, we’re quite taken with the ‘Diamond Fuji’ natural spectacular, viewable until December 26 from Mt Takao. Be warned, however, the rest of Tokyo is quite taken with it, too...
Diamond Fuji, location and timings

Plan ahead
Tickets went on sale this week for the following recommended Tokyo gigs...
Belle & Sebastian at Studio Coast
Wavves at Club Quattro
65daysofstatic at Liquidroom
Yellowcard at Liquidroom
Fran Healy at Akasaka Blitz

Looking ahead
Check back in with Time Out Tokyo next week for your complete Tokyo guide to seeing in the New Year, including countdown parties, bell-ringing, soba snaffling and hungover hotspots that ought to ease the pain.