"Santa Parade Tokyo 2025" to be held

This charity event allows participants to experience the winter tradition of Santa Claus and experience something out of the ordinary, participating in a parade through the city and running in the park, with participation fees used to donate Christmas presents to children battling illnesses.Santa Parade Tokyo" was held on Sunday, November 16th on public roads in Shibuya and Harajuku, Tokyo, and at Yoyogi Park.
Now in its eighth year, the "Santa Parade Tokyo" saw participants dressed as Santa Claus and taking in the Christmas-themed cityscape as they walked slowly along the 2.5km stretch of public roads between Shibuya Station and Harajuku Station. This year, EXILE's TETSUYA and Mark Panther, who were appointed special ambassadors, also took part in the event, riding in sound cars.
After the finish line, participants, including the special ambassadors, will write messages to children battling illnesses on cards and decorate them with ornaments on a Christmas tree, creating a message tree that will be displayed at the Tokyo venue for the first time this year. The cards will then be delivered to hospitals and overseas support recipients along with Christmas presents by the students who plan and manage the "Santa Parade" at the Osaka venue at a later date.
This time, we had the opportunity to cover the "Santa Parade Tokyo."

[Opening Ceremony Greetings]

■EXILE TETSUYA
I am very honored to be appointed as an ambassador. It may be a little early, but Merry Christmas. Through this wonderful event, I hope to parade with everyone and bring lots of smiles to children. On my message card, I wrote, "Happy Merry Christmas with lots of presents and smiles from Santa." As an ambassador, I would like to convey that message to everyone.

■ Mark Panther
Let's give the gift of smiles to children who are battling illness. On my message card, I wrote, "Merry Christmas. Your smile is the magic that brightens up the people around you." I hope that the smiles of the children will have the power to brighten up the people around them.

■Takayuki Yamagishi, Director of Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center
We are truly grateful to so many people for gathering here today and for the generous gifts we received. Our hospital's motto is "24/365 medical care, no refusal required," and we have over 350 children hospitalized at any given time. Smiles have the effect of boosting the immune system. We hope that your smiles will help children overcome illness.

■ Juntendo University School of Medicine Juntendo Hospital Hiromichi Tokaibayashi
Thank you very much for gathering in such large numbers today. This is my first time participating in this parade. Juntendo Hospital has nearly 100 patients. I would like to express my sincere respect for the Santa Parade's ongoing activities. I hope to continue this activity with your cooperation next year and beyond, so I appreciate your continued support.

[Thoughts on participating in the event and a message to the children]

■EXILE TETSUYA
It was my first time to see such a large scale parade, so I was very surprised. It was a place that symbolizes Tokyo, and I felt it was so much fun that all the participants were dressed the same. It was a parade filled with smiles, and I had a really fun time.
I strongly supported this initiative, knowing that there are many children who spend their time in hospitals and are unable to experience Christmas or other fun things. What we can do may be small, but I hope that by joining forces, we can bring a smile to the faces of children. I would like to continue supporting the Santa Parade.

■ Mark Panther
Today was blessed with beautiful weather, perfect for a parade. It was a wonderful parade that brought smiles to the faces of all the participants.
I think it was a day where everyone was smiling, everyone became Santa, and everyone was able to deliver the gift of a smile to everyone. I hope that children who are battling illnesses will also find courage. I hope that they will realize that they are never alone, and that so many people are watching over them together. I hope that everyone's smiles will reach out to everyone.

■ Santa Parade Student Conference Planning and Management Co-chair: Ai Yamamoto, 1st year student, Department of Nursing, Faculty of Human Sciences, Sophia University
The reason I decided to participate in this event was because I read an article about the representative, Nanami Komatsu. I've always loved children and I thought, "I hope I can do something for children someday," so after reading the article, I contacted her immediately and decided to participate as a co-representative.
We would be delighted if this could be a catalyst for bringing smiles to the faces of hospitalized children and children in need of medical care.
It's wonderful that everyone with the same passion can parade through the streets of Shibuya and Harajuku. Also, seeing everyone united in their passion in the parade must be an inspiration to those watching.
While the whole city is enveloped in a warm Christmas atmosphere, it can be difficult for children who require medical care to even experience that atmosphere in hospitals or at home. The Santa Parade was started with the desire to bring a little bit of warmth to these children. This year marks the eighth year in Tokyo. We hope that this Santa Parade event will continue for many years to come. We also hope that this event will spread, with children at the center of it all.

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on July 16, 2025 by Musashino University third-year student Akira Yoshimatsu

[Thoughts from a student newspaper intern who participated in the Santa Parade Tokyo]

A wide variety of people participated in the Santa Parade, and it was impressive to see the sense of unity that was apparent as everyone stood in a circle with their arms around each other's shoulders.
When I was in the early grades of elementary school, I was hospitalized during Christmas. I was so happy when the nurses helped me make a mini tree on Christmas Day. That was a warm memory that came back to me.
Through this event, I felt that a heartwarming and wonderful chain reaction would spread among the participants, people who happened to see them on the street, and children battling illnesses, just like the memories of the mini trees.
Musashino University, 3rd year student, Akina Yoshimatsu

The Santa Parade was attended by people of all ages, from children to the elderly, dressed as Santa, and even had participants from overseas, giving it a very international feel. There were also participants with chronic illnesses, elderly couples, and even a dog dressed as Santa. After the parade, it was impressive to see participants writing messages of support for sick children and decorating the message cards together on the tree. Participants were thinking of hospitalized children, creating a Santa Parade filled with smiles.
Sakura Yamashita, a third-year student at Tsuda University

Covering the Tokyo Santa Parade in Yoyogi Park was an exercise in cultivating the journalist's perspective of discovering essential points of interest in events that initially seemed uninteresting. The extraordinary feeling created by participants dressed as Santas filling Yoyogi Park and the social significance of supporting children who are unable to experience Christmas due to illness were beautifully balanced in a pop charity where participation fees were used to receive presents.
The venue was filled with energy, thanks to the synergistic effect of the concurrent holding of the Spanish Food Festival, and it was a spectacular sight to see people of all ages, genders, and even those with pets simply enjoying dressing up in costumes. I realized the effectiveness of motivating and setting an environment that uses "fun" to solve social issues, and as both a reporter and a planner, I sense new possibilities in the future, such as whether this excellent framework can be applied to children with challenges other than those with illnesses.
Yuina Yamamoto, third-year student at Keio University

The first thing that caught our eye was the crowd dressed up in red as Santa Claus. Everyone was having fun taking photos with Santa Claus in a cat hat and someone with a typical Santa beard. We took photos too, which really got us in the mood. There were also many food stalls, where we all played target practice, ate food, and children were handing out drug prevention materials.
The event kicked off in earnest with a DJ set by Mark Panther, followed by children dancing and special ambassadors such as EXILE's TETSUYA and Michael Jackson. Doctors from the hospital also participated, and the Santa Parade Executive Committee handed out presents. They also mentioned how smiles boost the immune system, and people who are blind or use oxygen tubes also took part. It was a truly necessary event that was anticipated by many people.
Musashino University freshman Ichikawa Ren

[Future information]
The event will also begin at the Osaka venue (Osaka Castle Park) on December 7th, so why not stop by?

"Santa Parade Osaka 2025" Event Overview
Date and time: Sunday, December 7, 2025, 10:30-15:00 / Registration begins at 9:00 *This event will be held in the event of rain or storm.
Cast: EXILE TETSUYA (Special Ambassador), Mark Panther (Special Ambassador), and others *Titles omitted
Venue: Main venue: Osaka Castle Park, Sun Square and park roads (1-1 Osaka Castle, Chuo Ward, Osaka City)
Official HP:https://www.santa-run.com/

Musashino University third-year student Yoshimatsu Akina / Tsuda University third-year student Yamashita Sakura / Keio University third-year student Yamamoto Yuina / Musashino University first-year student Ichikawa Ren