NAKANOSHIMA ART LIGHTS 2026 Ran Until October 25, Closing with Hot-Air Balloons and Live Music

“NAKANOSHIMA ART LIGHTS 2026,” which placed four works of light in a waterside park, was held in Nakanoshima Park, Kita-ku, Osaka, until Sunday, October 25. It began on Friday, October 16, with the works, from the rose garden to the area under the Hanshin Expressway viaduct, lit from 18:00 to 22:00. Admission was free and no reservation was required. On the last three days, Friday, October 23 to Sunday, October 25, a “Night Glow,” lighting up hot-air balloons at night on the lawn, and live music were also held.

The organizer was the Osaka Nigiwai Creation and Promotion Project Executive Committee, made up of Osaka Prefecture, Osaka City, the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau. The art producer was Takahiro Matsuo, representative of LUCENT DESIGN Inc. This article summarizes the works and events on view during the run and how rainy days were handled.

The four works: locations and mechanisms

One work each was placed on the west and east sides of the rose garden, on Barazono Bridge and near the area under the Hanshin Expressway viaduct.

• “K.L.V FIELD” (west side of the rose garden): an outdoor version of “K.L.V,” a kinetic work in which spheres of light suspended on ultrafine wires rise and fall. The scattered lights move in concert, creating a great wave of light

• “Bloom with You” (east side of the rose garden): a work in the shape of a bouquet of roses, set so that it seems to float in the air. When you pick it up, light spreads around it and the surrounding roses are lit up

• “Water Bridge” (Barazono Bridge): an arch of light created with projection and lighting. Light like ripples on water spreads across the whole bridge

• “Prism in the Air” (near the area under the Hanshin Expressway viaduct): a new work that shines light into mist, drawing rainbow-colored trails through prism-like refraction and reflection

Cooperation was provided by Pi Photonics, Inc. and Color Kinetics Japan Inc. The light art was lit on rainy days too, but in stormy weather works could be moved or turned off.

“Night Glow & Music” from October 23 to 25

On the last three days of the event, the lawn (Nakanoshima 1-chome, Kita-ku, Osaka) became the venue for “Night Glow & Music,” from 19:00 to 21:30. The hot-air balloons were set up from 19:00 each day and deflated and packed away around 21:30. On rainy days, or when the wind interfered with operations, the event could be canceled without notice at the organizers’ discretion on the day.

The live music “Field Live” consisted of three 40-minute stages starting at 18:20, 19:20 and 20:20. Performers changed daily, with each day’s schedule posted on the official website. The event also featured a pop-up wine bar by “Le Plus” of Toyonaka, serving natural wine, food and sweets by a pâtissier.

As the light art stayed lit until 22:00, visitors could tour the works even after the Night Glow ended.

An outdoor version of an Expo work, and the “Osaka Festival of the Lights” from November

According to the press release, “K.L.V” was also exhibited at the Kansai Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. This year’s “K.L.V FIELD” is an outdoor version of it. What became of the Expo exhibits is followed in our article on the Expo one year on. The history of art that uses light as a material is introduced in our explainer on light art.

Around Nakanoshima, the “Osaka Festival of the Lights 2026” began on Tuesday, November 3 (national holiday). According to Osaka Prefecture’s announcement (September 24), the overall event runs until Sunday, January 31, 2027. “OSAKA Hikari-Renaissance 2026” runs from Friday, December 11 to Friday, December 25, from around Osaka City Hall to Nakanoshima Park. Within it, the “Nakanoshima Illumination Street,” which turns an avenue of zelkova trees about 150 meters long into a tunnel of light, is lit from November 3 to December 31. Details are in our article on the Osaka Festival of the Lights 2026, and the Central Public Hall projection mapping from December 11 in our article on the Central Public Hall projection mapping.

Overview

Name: NAKANOSHIMA ART LIGHTS 2026: Art of Light Around the Waterside
Dates: Friday, October 16 – Sunday, October 25, 2026
Hours: Light art exhibition 18:00–22:00 / Night Glow & Music (October 23–25) 19:00–21:30, with Field Live at 18:20, 19:20 and 20:20 (40 minutes each)
Venue: Nakanoshima Park (light art: from the rose garden to near the area under the Hanshin Expressway viaduct / Night Glow & Music: the lawn)
Address: Nakanoshima 1-chome, Kita-ku, Osaka
Admission: Free, no reservation required
Organizer: Osaka Nigiwai Creation and Promotion Project Executive Committee (Osaka Prefecture, Osaka City, Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau)
Art producer: Takahiro Matsuo (representative, LUCENT DESIGN Inc.)
Cooperation: Color Kinetics Japan Inc., Pi Photonics, Inc.
Inquiries: Osaka Nigiwai Creation and Promotion Project Secretariat, 050-3605-0380 (weekdays 10:00–17:00)
Official website: https://osaka-kitena.jp/event/artlights2026/

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

*Top image: An image accompanying the introduction of “Night Glow & Music” (from a press release by the Osaka Nigiwai Creation and Promotion Project Executive Committee)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on materials released by the Osaka Nigiwai Creation and Promotion Project Executive Committee (September 15, 2026), information on the official website (as of October 23, 2026) and an announcement by Osaka Prefecture (September 24, 2026).

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team