[2026–2027] Winter Illuminations and Light Festivals Across Japan: Sapporo, Sendai, Kobe Luminarie and More

From autumn 2026 to spring 2027, winter illuminations and light festivals will be held across Japan. Sapporo’s “Sapporo White Illumination” lights up on November 20, and Sendai’s “SENDAI Pageant of Starlight” begins on December 4. In the new year, the “32nd Kobe Luminarie” opens on January 29, and the “2027 Nagasaki Lantern Festival” is scheduled to begin on February 5. This article introduces, region by region from Hokkaido to Kyushu, events whose dates could be confirmed in official announcements by their organizers.

Trends of the 2026–2027 season: born of winter tourism, with dates on the move

Some winter light events began as efforts to create a tourist season. According to the Sapporo official website, the White Illumination began on December 12, 1981, when 1,048 light bulbs were lit on a symbolic object in the Odori West 2-chome square. At the time, tourism centered on summer, and the driving force was to create a new early-winter tourist event leading up to the Snow Festival.

The Sendai Pageant of Starlight was born in 1986 from its predecessors’ wish to brighten Sendai in winter, the chair of the executive committee explained in a 2026 message. The message recalled that in recent years there were times when the event could not be carried out as hoped because of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising prices and redevelopment plans around Jozenji-dori, and described 2026 onward as the gateway to the 50th edition.

There are also moves to rethink dates. The City of Hiroshima is shifting the period of “Hiroshima Dreamination” from December to January, when hotel occupancy is low. The aim is to encourage visitors to tour the city center and extend their stays, and to allow it to be held alongside other events such as the Inter-Prefectural Men’s Ekiden. The schedules of major light festivals overseas are gathered in Light Festivals Around the World 2026–2027.

Hokkaido and Tohoku: Sapporo, Hakodate and Sendai

Sapporo White Illumination (Sapporo)

According to the official website, this is the 46th edition. The Odori site is lit until December 25, the Ekimae-dori site until February 11, 2027, and the Kita 3-jo Plaza (Akapla) site until March 14. A new Nakajima Park site has been added, with details to be announced around late October. The highlights of each site are introduced in our article on the Sapporo White Illumination.

Dates: Odori site Friday, November 20 – Friday, December 25, 2026; Ekimae-dori site until Thursday, February 11, 2027; Akapla site until Sunday, March 14
Hours: Odori site 16:30–22:00 (until 24:00 from December 23 to 25)
Venue: Odori site and others (Sapporo)

2027 Sapporo Snow Festival (Sapporo)

The 77th edition is held at the Odori Site (West 1-chome to 11-chome), the Tsudome Site and the Susukino Site (Ekimae-dori between Minami 4-jo and Minami 6-jo). The Odori Site centers on five large snow sculptures along with medium and small ones, and 2-chome will be a venue for the “Sapporo International Art Festival 2027” (January 16 – February 21). The hours of each site, the themes of the large snow sculptures and whether there will be light shows had not been announced as of October 19.

Dates: Thursday, February 4 – Thursday, February 11 (public holiday), 2027 (8 days)
Venues: Odori Site, Tsudome Site, Susukino Site

2026 Hakodate Christmas Fantasy (Hakodate)

What has been announced on the official website is the dates; details of the program will be announced as they are decided. Times may change or the event may be canceled due to weather and other factors. The secretariat is located within the Hakodate International Tourism and Convention Association.

Dates: Tuesday, December 1 – Friday, December 25, 2026
Organizer: Hakodate Christmas Fantasy Executive Committee
Official website: http://www.hakodatexmas.com/

2026 SENDAI Pageant of Starlight (Sendai)

The 41st edition’s theme is “A New Step: Lights of a Future We Create Together.” About 480,000 LEDs light 127 zelkova trees on Jozenji-dori. The “Starlight Wink,” in which all the lights go out for about a minute and come back on at once, is planned for 18:30, 19:00 and 20:00 (times being adjusted). “Sendai Christmas Market 2026” is also held in Nishikicho Park until December 25. Details are in our article on the SENDAI Pageant of Starlight.

Dates: Friday, December 4 – Sunday, December 27, 2026 (24 days)
Hours: 18:00–21:00 Sunday to Thursday, 18:00–22:00 Friday and Saturday (until 22:00 on Thursday, December 24)
Venue: Jozenji-dori (from in front of Sendai Mitsukoshi to in front of Jozenji Garden Hills Geihinkan)

Kanto: from Marunouchi and Roppongi to Enoshima and Ashikaga

In Tokyo and the Kanto region, most events in central Tokyo end around Christmas, December 25, while large facilities in the suburbs and neighboring prefectures continue until spring 2027. The main events are as follows; lighting hours and prices are gathered in our feature on illuminations in Tokyo and the Kanto region.

• Marunouchi Illumination 2026: Thursday, November 12, 2026 – Sunday, February 14, 2027. The 25th edition decorates about 1.2 km of street trees along Marunouchi Naka-dori.

• Roppongi Hills Keyakizaka Illumination “SNOW & BLUE”: Thursday, November 5 – Friday, December 25, 17:00–22:00. About 970,000 LEDs along a tree-lined avenue of about 400 m.

• Baccarat ETERNAL LIGHTS (Yebisu Garden Place): Saturday, November 14 – Monday, January 11, 2027 (public holiday). In its 27th year, it displays a Baccarat chandelier about 5 m tall outdoors.

• YORUNOYO 2026 (Yokohama): Friday, December 4 – Wednesday, December 30. A show in which 47 facilities from Minato Mirai to Yamashita Park are synchronized with light and music, held nine times a day. Free.

• Jewels of Shonan 2026–2027 (Enoshima): Tuesday, December 1 – Sunday, February 28, 2027. Lighting hours and the program had not been announced as of October 19.

• Garden of Flowers of Light: Flower Fantasy 2026–2027 (Ashikaga Flower Park, Tochigi): Saturday, October 17 – Sunday, February 14, 2027. The 25th edition uses more than 5 million lights.

• Events continuing into spring: Yomiuriland Jewellumination (October 29 – April 4, 2027), Tokyo German Village (October 31 – April 4) and Sagamiko Illumillion (November 14 – May 9; about 6 million bulbs, one of the largest in the Kanto region according to the organizer).

Chubu and Tokai: Nabana no Sato, Shirakawa-go and more

Nabana no Sato Illumination (Kuwana, Mie)

Launched in 2004, this season’s main theme area is the new “Wild Paradise.” It depicts five scenes, from the age of dinosaurs and the savanna to a waterfall modeled on Victoria Falls and jacarandas on a moonlit night. The roughly 200-meter light tunnel “Hana Kairo” and the illumination on the water also continue. Date-specified tickets are required from December 23 to 25. Prices are also introduced in our article on the Nabana no Sato illumination.

Dates: October 17, 2026 – May 31, 2027 (closed January 6 and 7)
Venue: Nabana no Sato (270 Urushibata, Komae, Nagashima-cho, Kuwana, Mie)

41st Shirakawa-go Light-Up (Gifu)

It is held on only four days in winter. According to the Shirakawa-go Tourist Association, the first round of standard car parking reservations sold out, and the second round goes on sale online on the association’s website at 13:00 on Tuesday, December 1, 2026 (credit card payment only). Accommodation handled by the association is allocated by lottery. Check the official event outline for lighting times and other details. Details are in our article on the Shirakawa-go Light-Up.

Dates: Monday, January 11 (public holiday), Sunday, January 17, Sunday, January 24 and Sunday, January 31, 2027
Venue: Shirakawa-go
Official website: https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/

In addition, at Matsumoto Castle in Nagano, lighting is planned from Saturday, December 12, 2026 to Sunday, February 14, 2027, according to materials from the Castle Town Matsumoto Festa Organizing Committee (secretariat: City of Matsumoto) when it sought a contractor in May 2026. The program and producer had not been announced as of October 19. This winter’s events in Hokuriku and Koshinetsu are organized in our roundup of illuminations and light events in Hokuriku and Koshinetsu, and events in Aichi, Gifu, Mie and Shizuoka in our roundup of illuminations and light events in the Tokai region.

Kinki: the Osaka Festival of the Lights and Kobe Luminarie

Osaka Festival of the Lights 2026 (Osaka)

The core Midosuji Illumination marks the 90th anniversary of the opening of Midosuji in May 2027, dividing its 4 km length into five areas representing eras from the 1940s to the present. The theme is “LINK: Light Moves the City.” Details are in our article on the Osaka Festival of the Lights 2026.

Dates: Tuesday, November 3 (public holiday), 2026 – Sunday, January 31, 2027. Midosuji Illumination until Thursday, December 31; OSAKA Hikari-Renaissance Friday, December 11 – Friday, December 25
Hours: Midosuji Illumination from about 17:00 to 1:00 a.m.
Admission: Free in principle (some area programs are paid)

32nd Kobe Luminarie (Kobe)

It began in December 1995, the year of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, as an event to mourn the victims and pass on the memory of the disaster. According to the official website, 2.54 million people visited over 11 days at the first edition. A theme is set each year for the design of the works, and parts arranged in Italy are assembled in Kobe by Italian artisans and Japanese staff. The theme of the 32nd edition’s works and lighting hours had not been announced as of October 19. It is also introduced in our article on the Kobe Luminarie.

Dates: Friday, January 29 – Sunday, February 7, 2027 (10 days)
Venues: Meriken Park, Higashi Yuenchi, former Foreign Settlement
Admission: Part of the Meriken Park site is a paid area; special viewing tickets cost 500 yen on weekdays and 750 yen on weekends in advance, and 1,000 yen on weekdays and 1,500 yen on weekends on the day

Chugoku and Kyushu: Hiroshima, Huis Ten Bosch and Nagasaki

Hiroshima Dreamination 2026 (Hiroshima)

It began in fiscal 2002 (Heisei 14), and since fiscal 2004 has in principle been held from November 17 to January 3 of the following year. According to the City of Hiroshima, from this season the period will run from the first Friday of December to the day of the Inter-Prefectural Men’s Ekiden in late January. Details of the venues and works had not been announced as of October 19. Events in Chugoku and Shikoku are organized in our roundup of illuminations and light events in Chugoku and Shikoku.

Dates: Friday, December 4, 2026 – Sunday, January 24, 2027 (52 days)
Hours: 17:30–22:30 (lights on at 18:00 on the first day)
Organizer: Hiroshima Light-Up Project Executive Committee (secretariat: City of Hiroshima)

The Starlight Million (Huis Ten Bosch, Nagasaki)

The illumination, which the organizer calls “No. 1 in Japan for 13 consecutive years,” has been substantially renewed for the first time in 16 years. In Amsterdam City, more than 100 star objects shine on building walls and underfoot, and the tree-lined path along the canal is filled with light for 500 meters. The roughly 66-meter-wide “Waterfall of Light” has also been updated, and during the Christmas period the “Grand Chandelier Tree,” using about 9,000 crystals, appears. It is also introduced in our article on The Starlight Million.

Dates: Friday, November 6, 2026 – Thursday, February 25, 2027
Venue: Huis Ten Bosch (Sasebo, Nagasaki)
Hours and admission: Check the official website

2027 Nagasaki Lantern Festival (Nagasaki)

The festival grew out of the Spring Festival that the people of Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown held to revitalize their neighborhood, and was expanded in 1994 (Heisei 6). During the festival, about 15,000 Chinese lanterns and other decorations adorn the city center, along with objects about 10 meters tall. The Emperor’s Parade takes place on Saturday, February 13 and Saturday, February 20, the Mazu Procession on Sunday, February 7 and Sunday, February 14, and the dragon dance every day. Details are in our article on the Nagasaki Lantern Festival.

Dates: Friday, February 5 – Sunday, February 21, 2027 (17 days, planned)
Venues: Central Nagasaki, including Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown, Hamamachi and Kanko-dori
Hours: Lighting hours not posted on the official tourism website as of October 19

*Information as of October 19, 2026. Please check the official website for the latest information.

Frequently asked questions

Which light events start in the new year?

The Shirakawa-go Light-Up (four days) starts on January 11, and the Kobe Luminarie on January 29. February brings the Sapporo Snow Festival (from the 4th) and the Nagasaki Lantern Festival (from the 5th). Hiroshima Dreamination runs until January 24 and the Osaka Festival of the Lights until January 31.

Which can be enjoyed for a long time, into spring?

Nabana no Sato runs until May 31, 2027, Sagamiko Illumillion until May 9, and Yomiuriland and Tokyo German Village until April 4. Sapporo’s Akapla site is lit until March 14 and Huis Ten Bosch until February 25.

Which require reservations or advance purchase?

The Shirakawa-go Light-Up sells reservations for standard car parking, with the second round from 13:00 on December 1. Nabana no Sato requires date-specified tickets from December 23 to 25. The Kobe Luminarie’s paid area requires a special viewing ticket, and the official website says details will be announced around autumn.

Events by region are organized in our roundups for Tohoku and Hokkaido, Tokyo and Kanto, Hokuriku and Koshinetsu, Tokai, Kansai, Chugoku and Shikoku and Kyushu and Okinawa, and drone show schedules in our roundup of upcoming drone shows in Japan.

Projection mapping shows you can see over Christmas (December 24–25) are listed with dates, times and admission in our guide to projection mapping at Christmas 2026.

*Top image: Huis Ten Bosch “The Starlight Million” (image) (from a press release by Huis Ten Bosch Co., Ltd.)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on official announcements by each organizer and facility (as of October 19, 2026).

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team

A note from the publisher

*Disclosure: Of the events introduced in this article, “Gifu Akari Monogatari 2027” is an event produced by HITOHATA, INC., an affiliate of HITOHATA ASSOCIATION, the general incorporated association that operates TOKYO ART SPHERE (About us).

Gifu Akari Monogatari 2027 (Gifu City)

Set in Gifu Park and Shohoji Temple, it lights them with Gifu wagasa umbrellas and Gifu lanterns, both nationally designated traditional crafts, and projects images inspired by cormorant fishing and clear streams onto the rock walls of the garden at the site of Oda Nobunaga’s residence, among other places. It is the 7th edition since 2020, and for the first time in the series it introduces a sea-of-clouds effect. Details are in our article on Gifu Akari Monogatari.

Dates: Saturday, January 30 – Sunday, February 28, 2027
Hours: 17:30–21:00 (last entry 20:30)
Admission: Adults (18 and over) 1,200–1,400 yen on the day (varies by day of the week). Advance tickets on sale from 10:00 on Sunday, November 1, 2026