By USEN TO/ Staff Writer
November 18, 2024 at 18:11 JST
Some 2,500 people signed up for this year's parade in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward on Nov. 17. (Usen To)
The city got a major dose of holiday cheer as the Santa Parade Tokyo 2024 participants made their way through Tokyo's Shibuya and Harajuku districts on Nov. 17.
Around 2,500 people took part in the charity event that uses proceeds from participation fees to send Christmas presents to children battling illness in Japan and medical care to the Maasai tribe in Kenya.
Before the parade started, singer Maki Oguro took the stage to perform the parade’s official theme song “Santa Run Run Run” and energized the crowd.
The parade featured not only participants dressed as Santa, but dogs in reindeer costumes riding skateboards and dog-shaped robots bringing early Christmas cheer to the streets.
Nanami Komatsu, 18, a student at Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, was involved in organizing the event. She aspires to eventually develop pediatric medicine.
“I'm happy that children in the hospital will receive Christmas presents and that's why I wanted to take part. I hope this activity spreads even further,” she said.
This year, gifts are scheduled to be delivered to 23 hospitals in Tokyo, Osaka, and other locations. Osaka's own parade is scheduled for Dec. 1.
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