Tokyo is getting a bold new evening spectacle this winter: Takanawa Gateway City (stylized as TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY) — a recently built urban redevelopment area — is hosting its first-ever projection mapping event. The show, Takanawa Light Journey, blends large-scale visuals, immersive sound and synchronized fountains to transform the architecture and open spaces of Takanawa Gateway City into a cohesive, three-dimensional experience. It will run from February 5 to February 11.
More than a seasonal projection mapping event, Takanawa Light Journey captures the past, present and future of Takanawa Gateway City with a guiding concept: an “experimental site for enriching lives 100 years into the future.”
Takanawa Gateway City, which will have its full grand opening on March 28, 2026, is conceptualized as a living laboratory. The entire district functions as an ongoing experiment, driving innovation and testing out solutions to tackle global social challenges. With its direct connection to Takanawa Gateway Station and easy access from central Tokyo and Haneda Airport, the area is fast emerging as a must-visit destination for nighttime tourism — and this event marks a major milestone in its evolution.
What To Expect at Takanawa Light Journey
At the core of Takanawa Light Journey are two original projection mapping programs, each offering a distinct perspective on Takanawa’s past, present and future. The piece “Time Voyage – A Light Path of Memories” takes viewers on a luminous journey through history, tracing Takanawa’s role as a gateway, transportation hub and innovation center during the Edo period, before projecting a vision of the city, both as it stands now and how it will appear 100 years in the future. Synchronized projection mapping and water fountains create a dynamic, multi-layered experience that unfolds across the entire space.
The second program, “The Takanawa,” captures Takanawa City through sound. Original music composed from local ambient noises — station chimes, announcements, footsteps and crowd movement — make up the soundscape of the production, grounding the futuristic visuals in the reality of daily life at Takanawa Gateway.
Between programs, visitors can step into Luminous Gateway, a three-dimensional light corridor formed by smoke, light and reflections around the fountains. Designed to be walked through, the installation invites interaction, with plenty of photo opportunities and an otherworldly sense of being inside the projection itself.
The highlight of the event is the full-scale introduction of Moving Mirror technology — a first for Japan. This innovation enables performances that utilize the entire venue, including the ceilings, floors and surrounding spaces, to create a truly immersive environment.
As a new nighttime attraction, Takanawa Light Journey positions Takanawa Gateway City at the forefront of thrilling urban entertainment in Tokyo, but its true significance lies in its vision: a prototype for how cities of the future might tell their stories, activate public space and invite people into shared, immersive experiences.
The Vision of Takanawa Gateway City
The story of Takanawa has always been tied to transition and innovation. During the Edo period, the Takanawa Okido, a large wooden gate, stood as the official southern gateway to Edo, controlling the flow of people entering the city. Around 150 years ago, the area again made history as a hub of innovation: It’s famous as the site of Japan’s first railway built over the sea, an engineering feat that symbolized the nation’s breakthrough into modernity.
Today, Takanawa Gateway City continues to carry this legacy. As an experimental site, the entire area serves as a testing ground where new ideas for sustainability and future urban living are explored in real space.
More Info
To learn more about Takanawa Light Journey, click here.
