[Autumn/Winter 2026] Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Projection Mapping “TOKYO Night & Light”: Screening Times and Highlights

“TOKYO Night & Light” is a permanent projection mapping projected onto the east wall of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No. 1 (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo). Organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo Projection Mapping Executive Committee, it can be viewed free of charge from Citizens’ Plaza every day except in bad weather and other circumstances. In October 2026, it is screened eight times, every 30 minutes from 18:00 to 21:30, each show lasting about 15 minutes. The timetable changes from Sunday, November 1, and according to the annual screening schedule on the official website, shows from November to January start at 17:30.

This article sorts out the outline of the screenings, recognized by Guinness World Records, the screening times that vary by season and day of the week, and the works on view now. It also covers practical information such as where to watch, access, what happens on rainy days and how to listen to the music.

What is TOKYO Night & Light? A permanent screening recognized by Guinness World Records

“TOKYO Night & Light” is a project that uses Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No. 1 as a canvas to screen diverse works of light and sound year-round. According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s press materials, the project began in February 2024. Cumulative viewers passed 1 million in October 2025 and reached 1.55 million as of an announcement on August 7, 2026.

Under the heading “GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ certified,” the official website lists the record title “Largest architectural projection-mapped display (permanent),” along with the figure “13,904.956 m².” Its list of works introduces the projection mapping on the Metropolitan Government Building as recognized by Guinness World Records for its “projection area of about 14,000 m².”

According to materials from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Bureau of Finance, Building No. 1, the projection surface, was completed in March 1991 and has 48 floors above ground and 3 below, with a maximum height of 243.4 meters. Its east wall becomes the screen. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government positions the project as an initiative based on Strategy 14 (promotion of nighttime tourism) of the “2050 Tokyo Strategy.” The screenings use green power.

What time do screenings start? Timetables for October and from November

Screenings take place every day except in bad weather and other circumstances, and start times change by month. According to the annual screening schedule on the official website (viewed October 19, 2026), start times are as follows, with the last show at 21:30 in every month.

• November, December and January: from 17:30

• February and October: from 18:00

• March and September: from 18:30

• April: from 19:00

• May to August: from 19:30

However, the actual shows do not exactly match the annual schedule. The annual schedule does not list a 21:00 show, but the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s press release of October 2 and the official website’s “Today’s screening times” show eight shows every 30 minutes in October, including one at 21:00. Each show lasts about 15 minutes.

The official website posts date-by-date timetables in three periods: “from Thursday, October 1, 2026,” “from Friday, October 9, 2026” and “from Sunday, November 1, 2026.” Check the exact shows from November in the timetable starting Sunday, November 1.

The works screened differ from show to show and also between weekdays and holidays. For example, “Until It Reaches You” was screened in October at 18:00 and 19:00 on weekdays and at 18:00 on holidays, and for November onward viewers are directed to check the official website. Some works are screened only on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays. If there is a work you want to see, it is safest to check both the date and the day of the week.

Which works are on now? From new works to weekend-and-holiday-only pieces

The official website’s top page (viewed October 19) introduces works such as those by ATARASHII GAKKO! and two works featuring Godzilla. “Bocchi the Rock! Seishun Complex” and “Pokémon Trading Card Game TOKYO LUMINOUS NIGHT” are also listed. Here, the main works are sorted out based on the official work descriptions and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s press materials.

ATARASHII GAKKO!: “Otona Blue” and “TTTTOKYO”

These two new works, screened since Sunday, August 23, 2026, both use songs by ATARASHII GAKKO!. “Otona Blue” stages the world of the group’s signature song and recreates its head-swinging dance on the Metropolitan Government Building. “TTTTOKYO” is a collaboration with the group’s latest song on the theme of Tokyo, with footage where the city’s lights, colors and culture intersect. Planning and supervision were by Omnibus Japan and SIGNIF.Inc.

“Until It Reaches You” by the Tokyo Metropolitan Sogo Geijutsu High School

Unveiled on Friday, October 9, this work was made by 11 students of the Video and Broadcast Production Club of the Tokyo Metropolitan Sogo Geijutsu High School. On the theme of “youth,” such as a high school crush and after-school scenes, the building’s wall turns into classroom windows, corridors, shoe lockers and more. Its imagery layers hand-drawn and 3D animation, and creators who have worked on projection mapping for the Metropolitan Government Building served as instructors. The work is introduced in detail in our article on the Tokyo Metropolitan Sogo Geijutsu High School’s work.

Godzilla, Pokémon and anime works

“TOKYO GODZILLAs,” in which Godzillas of various eras attack Tokyo, combines practical special effects with full CG. “Godzilla Attacks the Metropolitan Government Building – GODZILLA: ATTACK ON TOKYO –” depicts a battle between Godzilla, attacking Building No. 1, and the anti-Godzilla weapon “Super X2 Kai.” Both were planned and supervised by Toho Co., Ltd. and directed by Kazuhiro Nakagawa.

“Pokémon Trading Card Game TOKYO LUMINOUS NIGHT” renders the Pokémon pictured on the cards three-dimensionally with light and imagery. “Bocchi the Rock! Seishun Complex,” unveiled on Saturday, June 20, 2026, takes as its motif the songs of the in-story band “Kessoku Band” and fills the whole building with colorful, pop imagery.

The official list of works also includes past works, among which pieces that reinterpret the shape of the building itself stand out. “Aimer / Zankyosanka” lights up the building’s structure as if it were an old wooden building. The student work “Tokyo Elevator” likens the building’s vertical structure to a space elevator stretching from underground to outer space. Check the timetable to see whether these are currently being screened.

Where to watch, access and viewing tips

The projection surface is the east wall of Building No. 1, and the viewing area is the Metropolitan Government Building’s Citizens’ Plaza (2-8-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo). Viewing is free, and no advance registration is required.

By train, the building is directly connected to Tochomae Station on the Toei Oedo Line and is about a 10-minute walk from the West Exit of JR Shinjuku Station and from Nishi-Shinjuku Station on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line. By bus, take the Toei Bus (Tocho Loop) from the Shinjuku Station West Exit (underground bus terminal) and get off at “Tocho Daiichi Honchosha,” but it runs on weekdays only. For people who find stairs difficult, the Metropolitan Government Building offers a barrier-free route using elevators inside the building; ask a security guard.

On the official website, visitors can play the same music that is played on site during screenings, and the website encourages people to enjoy the show from various places where the building can be seen. If the page was opened before a show, it must be reloaded when the show starts, and since audio will play, mind the volume. Seven works, including “Otona Blue,” “TTTTOKYO” and “Bocchi the Rock! Seishun Complex,” are not available for music playback on the page.

Screenings take place every 30 minutes and each lasts about 15 minutes, so if you arrive late you can wait for the next show. On the other hand, the official website does not appear to give specific information on crowds or photography rules (as of October 19). If screenings are canceled because of a typhoon or the like, it will be announced on the official website or the official X account.

Editor’s perspective

The projection mapping on the Metropolitan Government Building is less an event showing a single work than something like a “program” in which works change from show to show. Alongside collaborations with Godzilla, Pokémon, anime and music groups, works by high school and university students and a work conveying the revival of the Outer Moat waterfront appear on the same wall. What makes the project distinctive is that the wall of a government building is operated as a medium for nighttime tourism, urban policy and the next generation of creators. The background to the spread of events that stage castles, temples, shrines and government buildings with light at night is examined in our feature on nighttime light staging at cultural properties. Projection mapping and light events in Tokyo beyond the Metropolitan Government Building are compiled in our [2026–2027] Projection Mapping and Light Events in Tokyo.

For that reason, viewers need a little preparation. Start times change by month, and for some works the shows differ between weekdays and holidays. From November, the annual schedule moves the start earlier, to 17:30. If you have a particular work in mind, check that day’s timetable before you go.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a fee, or do I need to reserve?

Viewing is free, and no advance registration is required. The viewing area is Citizens’ Plaza.

Are there screenings on rainy days?

According to the official website, screenings take place every day except in bad weather and other circumstances. If they are canceled because of a typhoon or the like, this is announced on the official website or the official X account.

How long is each show?

According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s press materials, each show lasts about 15 minutes. Screenings take place every 30 minutes.

What time do screenings start from November?

According to the annual screening schedule on the official website, shows from November to January start at 17:30, and the last show is at 21:30. Check the exact shows in the timetable starting Sunday, November 1.

Is it easy to watch in a wheelchair?

The Metropolitan Government Building offers a barrier-free route using elevators inside the building. Those who wish to use it are asked to speak to a security guard at the building.

Overview

Name: TOKYO Night & Light (Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Projection Mapping)
Period: Year-round permanent screening (began February 2024)
Screening days: Daily except in bad weather and other circumstances
Hours: In October 2026, eight shows every 30 minutes from 18:00 to 21:30 (about 15 minutes each). From 17:30 from November to January (according to the annual screening schedule on the official website)
Projection surface: East wall of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No. 1
Viewing area: Citizens’ Plaza
Address: 2-8-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Admission: Free; no advance registration required
Organizers: Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Projection Mapping Executive Committee
Access: Directly connected to Tochomae Station (Toei Oedo Line); about a 10-minute walk from the West Exit of JR Shinjuku Station and from Nishi-Shinjuku Station (Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line)
Official website: https://tokyoprojectionmappingproject.jp/
*Information as of October 19, 2026. Please check the official website for the latest information.

For the Sotobori Purification Project behind “City of Water: Edo Outer Moat” (water conveyance to the moat is scheduled to begin in the mid-2030s) and the projection mapping held on the Edo Castle outer moat in 2024 and 2025, see our explainer on the work and the Sotobori Purification Project.

Projection mapping shows you can see over Christmas (December 24–25) are listed with dates, times and admission in our guide to projection mapping at Christmas 2026.

*Top image: TOKYO Night & Light, “Edo, City of Water: The Outer Moat” (from a press release by HITOHATA, INC.)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on official announcements by each organizer and facility (as of October 19, 2026).

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team

A note from the publisher

*Disclosure: Among the works introduced in this article, “Edo, City of Water: The Outer Moat” was produced and created by HITOHATA, INC., an affiliate of HITOHATA ASSOCIATION, the general incorporated association that operates TOKYO ART SPHERE (About us).

“Edo, City of Water: The Outer Moat” (weekends and holidays only, about 4 minutes)

“Edo, City of Water: The Outer Moat” is a work of about 4 minutes that has been screened in a long run since Saturday, November 1, 2025, on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays only. Created as part of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s “Outer Moat Purification Project,” it tells a story in which memories of Edo, the city of water, overlap with a vision of the city of the future.

According to the official description, waterfalls and waterside scenes painted by Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige come back to life in three dimensions. Indigo waves wrap around the entire building, unfolding into a world where flowers of the four seasons bloom. In the second half, a 3DCG city of the future appears, and the work closes with a finale at a water source where cherry blossoms are in full bloom.

The Outer Moat Purification Project is a Tokyo Metropolitan Government initiative to improve the water quality of the Outer Moat, a historical asset, and revive Tokyo as a “city of water.” It is positioned under Strategy 19, “Greenery and Water,” of the “2050 Tokyo Strategy,” and an “Implementation Plan for Purifying the Outer Moat” was published in March 2026 (according to a press release from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Bureau of Urban Development).

The latest information on events produced by HITOHATA, INC. is available at HITOHATA, INC.’s event information. Inquiries about planning projection mapping on cultural properties, government buildings and other urban buildings are accepted through the company’s contact form.