Huis Ten Bosch’s “The Starlight Million” Begins November 6: Stars You Can Touch and a 500-Meter Canal

At Huis Ten Bosch, a theme park in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, “The Starlight Million” runs from Friday, November 6, 2026 to Thursday, February 25, 2027. It is the first major overhaul in 16 years of the winter illumination that operator Huis Ten Bosch Co., Ltd. bills as “Japan’s No. 1 for 13 consecutive years.” The whole park is imagined as “a town where stars dwell,” and more than 100 star objects are arranged in Amsterdam City at the heart of the park. Touching them reportedly gives visitors the experience of being wrapped in their light.

The press materials the company distributed on August 27 do not include lighting hours or prices. Below, we set out the displays at each location, the Christmas season program and the basis for the “Japan’s No. 1” claim.

More than 100 stars in Amsterdam City

In the squares of Amsterdam City (the heart of the park), more than 100 star objects shine on building walls and underfoot. In its title, the press release highlights the experience of “touching and wearing” the light of these stars.

A moon object large enough to sit on also appears. According to the press materials, effects using smoke and the waterside are also added.

A 500-meter tree-lined canal path and a “Waterfall of Light” about 66 meters wide

Along the tree-lined path beside the canal, the entire canal is filled with light over a length of 500 meters. The press materials introduce this location as the “Tree-Lined Canal Path of Falling Stars.” Among the existing displays, the area including the “Waterfall of Light,” about 66 meters wide, is being updated. The press materials also mention the name “Aurora Garden of Light.”

A tree of about 9,000 crystals for the Christmas season

From the opening day, Friday, November 6, the Christmas program “European Holy Christmas” also begins, running until Friday, December 25. During the Christmas season, the “Grand Chandelier Tree,” sparkling with about 9,000 crystals, makes an appearance.

What lies behind “Japan’s No. 1 for 13 consecutive years”

The company describes this illumination’s track record as “Japan’s No. 1 for 13 consecutive years.” According to a note in the press materials, the basis is first place in two awards given by the Night View Tourism Convention Bureau, a general incorporated association.

• 2013–2022: First place in the overall entertainment category of the “Illumination Awards”

• 2023–2025: First place in the Outstanding Entertainment Award of the illumination event category of the “International Illumination Awards”

The company counts the first places in these two awards together as 13 consecutive years. Both were awarded for the illumination as it was before this overhaul.

Check lighting hours and prices on the official website

Lighting hours and prices during the illumination period are not listed in the August 27 press materials. As far as we could see when checking the event page on the official website on October 23, no specific hours or prices were given either. Check the latest information on the official website before you go.

Winter illuminations across Japan are introduced in our 2026–2027 roundup, and winter light events in Nagasaki Prefecture in our article on the 2027 Nagasaki Lantern Festival. Techniques for lighting townscapes and buildings are summarized in our article on lighting design for light-ups.

Overview

Name: The Starlight Million
Dates: Friday, November 6, 2026 – Thursday, February 25, 2027
Venue: Huis Ten Bosch (Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture; Amsterdam City, the tree-lined canal path and other locations)
Concurrent event: European Holy Christmas (Friday, November 6 – Friday, December 25, 2026)
Operator: Huis Ten Bosch Co., Ltd.
Official website: https://www.huistenbosch.co.jp/event/illumination/

Winter light events in Kyushu and Okinawa are summarized in our roundup of illuminations and light events in Kyushu and Okinawa.

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

*Top image: The Tree-Lined Canal Path of Falling Stars (image) (from a press release by Huis Ten Bosch Co., Ltd.)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on materials released by Huis Ten Bosch Co., Ltd. (August 27, 2026) and information on the official website (as of October 23, 2026).

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team