Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine’s “Tokimusubi no Mori” from November 7: Projections on the Romon Gate and Two Trees, Priority Entry Tickets at 1,500 Yen

The light-up event “Tokimusubi no Mori” will be held for 17 days, from Saturday, November 7 to Monday, November 23 (national holiday), at Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine in Omiya-ku, Saitama City. Organized by Saitama City, this second edition presents projection mapping on the Romon Gate and two trees in the shrine grounds and adds lighting of the second and third torii gates and mist effects. Admission is free, but on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays only, advance-reservation priority entry tickets (1,500 yen) for viewing from the front are sold. Since the city’s announcement in August, the subjects of the video and the content of related programs have come to light.

The seasons of Omiya and the “railway town” on the Romon Gate, and projections on two trees

According to the Saitama Tourism and International Relations Bureau’s October 9 announcement, the Romon video treats the vermilion Romon Gate, a symbol of Hikawa Shrine, as a large screen. Its subjects are the four seasons of Omiya, Omiya as a “railway town” and a story continuing into the future, depicted with digital art video and sound. Projection onto trees in the grounds expands to two trees this year, making it easier to see from a distance.

The page the city updated on October 20 lists the staging as projection mapping on the Romon Gate and trees, light-ups of the second and third torii gates, and mist. In a public–academic partnership with Saitama Prefectural Omiya Science and Technology High School, which opened this year, students’ works are displayed. The exhibits listed include an arch installed in the grounds with projection mapping, and bamboo lanterns placed along the approach.

The title, length and creators of the work projected onto the Romon Gate are not given in the materials released by the city and the bureau as of October 23. The description on the special website says the project depicts the history, nature and culture of Hikawa Shrine and Omiya with light, through the projection on the Romon Gate and an experience of light and mist.

Admission stays free; priority tickets on Fridays to Sundays and holidays, with the 18:30 slot reserved for app users

New this year are priority entry tickets requiring advance reservation. They apply on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays during the event and cost 1,500 yen (including tax). Ticket holders can enter from beside the Romon Gate without queuing on the approach and view the video from the front area. They are sold on JTB’s online sales site and the “Saitama City Minna no App,” with the 18:30–19:00 slot each day limited to app users. The city explains the aim as easing crowding and stimulating the nighttime economy.

There are also four regional excursion plans combined with the priority entry ticket. The prices of the plans are not given in the press release.

• Tourist facility ticket set: a bundle of admission tickets to The Railway Museum, the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum and the Iwatsuki Ningyo Museum

• Plan with a meal at a long-established ryotei: dine at a long-established Japanese restaurant along the Hikawa Sando approach

• Plan with a “Heisei Hiroba Marche” discount: includes a discount voucher for local shops at Heisei Hiroba

• Plan with an Omiya tour guide: walk the night streets from Omiya Station to the shrine grounds with the Omiya Tourism Volunteer Guide Association

Sales of the priority entry tickets and the planning and operation of the excursion plans are handled by the Saitama Tourism and International Relations Bureau and JTB Corp.’s Saitama Branch.

About 52,000 visitors to the first edition: from a bonsai village centennial project to a second year

The first edition was held from Saturday, November 8 to Monday, November 24 (substitute holiday), 2025, to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of Omiya Bonsai Village. It was the first light-up including projection mapping at Hikawa Shrine, and according to the city, about 52,000 people attended. This year, the content has been completely renewed under the theme of the history and traditions of Omiya, including Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine.

Main staging in 2025: projection mapping “Tokimusubi no Mori” on the Romon Gate, projection mapping “The Memory Tree: Memories Dwelling in a Tree” on a tree, and the interactive content “Waterside Where the Dragon God Dwells.” Light-ups of the Inari Shrine, the Meoto Kusu (husband-and-wife camphor trees), the second and third torii gates and the Hikawa Sando approach.

Related programs in 2025 included a special night-view photography session with the cooperation of Tamron Co., Ltd. and the “Hikawa Marche.” Falcon displays and performances by the NFC (Nippon Falconers Club) Kamoba Suwa-ryu Association also took place. Regarding the event’s name, the city’s August announcement explains “tokimusubi” as connecting the flow of time that continues across generations, and “mori” as a sacred space and a place where life takes root.

Targets and budget in the city’s specifications: 50,000+ visitors and 90%+ satisfaction

The event is run as a project commissioned by the city. The city invited planning proposals for the “Hikawa Shrine Light-Up Event Services.” According to the city’s contract page (updated July 28), six companies submitted proposals, and the Saitama Office of Tokyo Kikaku Soshoku Co., Ltd. was selected as the best proposer (contract candidate).

The requirements document defines the purposes of the project as revitalizing the local economy through the nighttime economy and attracting visitors, enhancing and promoting the city’s appeal, and fostering civic pride. Projection mapping was mandatory, as was using the second and third torii gates on the Hikawa Sando approach and the Romon Gate in the staging. If a video with a narrative is used, it must be no longer than five minutes and played repeatedly.

The performance targets are 50,000 or more visitors and a satisfaction rate of 90% or more. The work also includes 100 B2-size posters and promotional videos in vertical format for short videos and horizontal format for YouTube. Setup is from October onward and removal from Tuesday, November 24 to Sunday, December 6, with the contract period running until Friday, February 26, 2027. The proposal cap was 24,711,000 yen including consumption tax. The budget cap for the previous fiscal year’s “Bonsai Light-Up Event Services” was 22,154,000 yen including tax, so fiscal 2026 is 2,557,000 yen higher.

A lighting ceremony the day before opening, donations, and parking information

On Friday, November 6, the day before the opening, the city plans a press preview from 18:30 to 20:00, with a lighting ceremony at 18:30.

The city is also seeking donations through the furusato nozei (hometown tax donation) system. Crowdfunding-style applications for individuals are accepted for 90 days, from October 2 to December 30, 2026, via a dedicated page on the portal site “Furusato Choice” or a donation application form submitted by mail or other means. Donors living outside the city receive a thank-you gift on request; residents of the city do not receive gifts.

According to the shrine’s October 13 notice, only the First Parking Lot is available, for a fee. The shrine asks visitors to use public transportation, and bicycles should be parked in the First Parking Lot or the temporary bicycle parking in front of the shrine office.

Different pricing and booking approaches for nighttime events at temples and shrines

Even among nighttime events this autumn, pricing and booking systems differ from place to place. Night visits to Zuiganji in Matsushima, Miyagi Prefecture, are paid, at 1,300 yen for adults (1,200 yen in advance online) (see our Zuiganji article). The Hikawa Shrine event keeps admission free while offering paid priority slots on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays, combined with excursion plans.

Evening visits to temples and shrines this autumn are introduced in our roundup of evening temple visits and temple and shrine light-ups outside Kyoto City, and how local governments commission light events in our article on local government calls for proposals.

Overview

Name: Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine Light-Up Event “Tokimusubi no Mori”
Dates: Saturday, November 7 – Monday, November 23 (national holiday), 2026
Hours: Monday to Thursday 17:30–20:00 (last entry 19:30); Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays 17:30–21:00 (last entry 20:30)
Venue: Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine (1-407 Takahana-cho, Omiya-ku, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture)
Admission: Free. Priority entry tickets 1,500 yen (including tax; Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays only; advance reservation required)
Organizer: Saitama City
Co-organizers: Saitama Tourism and International Relations Bureau, Nigiwai no Mori (general incorporated association)
Cooperation: Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine, Saitama Prefectural Omiya Science and Technology High School, East Japan Railway Company Omiya Branch Office and others
Parking: Only the First Parking Lot is available, for a fee
Inquiries: Saitama City Tourism and International Relations Division (048-829-1365); for priority entry tickets, the Saitama Tourism and International Relations Bureau (048-647-8338)
Official website: https://www.symunity.co.jp/event/hikawa_mapping2026/
City information: https://www.city.saitama.lg.jp/004/001/001/p133978.html

*Information as of October 23, 2026. Please check the official website for the latest information.

*Top image: Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine Light-Up Event “Tokimusubi no Mori” (from a press release by the Saitama Tourism and International Relations Bureau)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on materials released by Saitama City (August 19, 2026, updated October 20), materials released by the Saitama Tourism and International Relations Bureau (October 9, 2026), a notice from Musashi Ichinomiya Hikawa Shrine (October 13, 2026), Saitama City’s contract information and information on the official website (as of October 23, 2026).

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team