YORUNOYO 2026 Opens December 4 in Yokohama; Projection Mapping at Osanbashi Pier and a Show Linking 47 Facilities

“YORUNOYO 2026,” a winter light event staged in Yokohama’s central waterfront area, will be held every day from Friday, December 4 to Wednesday, December 30, 2026. Hours are 17:00 to 21:05, and admission is free. It is organized by THE YOKOHAMA ILLUMINATION / YORUNOYO Executive Committee and co-organized by Yokohama City. Forty-seven facilities from Minato Mirai to Yamashita Park stage a five-minute show linked by light and music nine times a day. On the rooftop of Osanbashi Pier, a projection mapping featuring a 25-meter whale of light is presented.

What is YORUNOYO? Winter light in Yokohama, one of Japan’s “New Three Major Night View Cities”

YORUNOYO is an illumination event in Yokohama’s central waterfront area that stages the night view using historic buildings, clusters of high-rises, the harbor waterfront and ships. According to the organizer, it drew a total of 1 million visits last year. On July 1, 2026, the executive committee changed its name from the Creative Light Yokohama Executive Committee to its current name.

Yokohama has been selected as one of “Japan’s New Three Major Night View Cities,” a night view brand created in October 2015 by the Night View Tourism Convention Bureau, with cities chosen every three years based on votes by night view tourism experts across Japan. In the December 2024 selection, Yokohama became the first city in the Tokyo metropolitan area to be chosen, alongside Kitakyushu and Nagasaki. The organizer explains that nighttime events in the bay area, such as YORUNOYO, were cited as reasons for the selection.

This year’s event also sets out environmental measures. More than 75% of the electricity used will come from renewable energy, including biofuel generators that run on waste cooking oil. Combined with carbon offsets, the renewable energy ratio will effectively reach 100%. Decarbonization and the reuse of resources are also considered throughout the event, including publicity materials.

Highlights: “Highlight of Yokohama,” with 47 facilities linked together

The centerpiece is “Highlight of Yokohama,” a five-minute show in which the whole city of Yokohama is linked by light and music. The stage stretches more than 3 km from Minato Mirai to Yamashita Park, with a record 47 participating facilities. This year, the restaurant cruise ship “Marine Rouge” joins the show for the first time.

It takes place nine times a day, every 30 minutes from 17:00 to 21:00, starting at 17:00, 17:30, 18:00, 18:30, 19:00, 19:30, 20:00, 20:30 and 21:00. The official website names Osanbashi Pier (the rooftop plaza of the Yokohama Port Osanbashi International Passenger Terminal) as the main viewpoint, where the show can be enjoyed together with the night view of the harbor. As of October 19, the list of participating facilities had not been posted on the official website.

Where can the projection mapping be seen? “Kujiland” at Osanbashi Pier

The projection mapping takes place at “Kujiland” at the Osanbashi venue. The venue is the rooftop plaza of the Yokohama Port Osanbashi International Passenger Terminal (1-1-4 Kaigan-dori, Naka-ku, Yokohama), with the entire rooftop used as the performance area. The organizer calls it one of the largest participatory outdoor projection mappings in Japan.

At its center swims a 25-meter whale of light, and visitors can enjoy an immersive experience wrapped in light on the three-dimensional wooden deck “Whale’s Back.” It runs daily from 17:00 to 21:05. As of October 19, how visitors take part in the show and the length of each presentation had not been announced.

The “Y Cube” in Yamashita Park

At the Yamashita Park venue (279 Yamashita-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama), a 10-meter-tall cube of light, the “Y Cube,” appears. Inside a space wrapped in light and sound, visitors can experience a variety of digital art.

During Highlight of Yokohama, it is linked with the light and music of Yokohama Marine Tower, the Hikawa Maru and other landmarks. Its hours are the same as the Osanbashi venue, 17:00 to 21:05.

Access: the nearest stations to each venue

The Osanbashi venue (Kujiland) is a 7-minute walk from Exit 3 or 4 of Nihon-odori Station on the Minatomirai Line, and a 15-minute walk from Exit 1 of Kannai Station on the municipal subway and from the South Exit of JR Kannai Station.

The Yamashita Park venue (Y Cube) is a 3-minute walk from Exit 4 of Motomachi-Chukagai Station on the Minatomirai Line, a 15-minute walk from the Chinatown Exit of JR Ishikawacho Station and a 20-minute walk from the South Exit of JR Kannai Station.

Winter illuminations in the Kanto region are introduced in our [2026–2027] Winter Illuminations in Tokyo and the Kanto Region, and light events around Japan in our roundup of projection mapping and light events across Japan.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a fee or reservation?

Admission is free, and the event is held every day during its run. The official website gives no information about advance reservations.

What time should I go to see the show?

Highlight of Yokohama starts on the hour and half hour from 17:00 to 21:00, and each show lasts five minutes. The event as a whole runs from 17:00 to 21:05.

Where is the best place to watch?

The official website names the rooftop plaza of Osanbashi Pier as the main viewpoint for Highlight of Yokohama. The Kujiland projection mapping can also be seen on the same rooftop.

Overview

Name: YORUNOYO 2026
Dates: Friday, December 4 – Wednesday, December 30, 2026 (held daily)
Hours: 17:00–21:05 (Highlight of Yokohama every 30 minutes from 17:00 to 21:00, 5 minutes each)
Venues: Yokohama’s central waterfront area (Yokohama Port Osanbashi International Passenger Terminal, Yamashita Park and others)
Admission: Free
Organizer: THE YOKOHAMA ILLUMINATION / YORUNOYO Executive Committee
Co-organizer: Yokohama City
In partnership with: THE YOKOHAMA ILLUMINATION Promotion Council
Event operators: PixelEngine Inc., Aktio Corporation, Ushio Lighting, Inc. (joint venture)
Official website: https://yorunoyo.yokohama/
*Information as of October 19, 2026. Please check the official website for the latest information.

*Top image: the Osanbashi venue (image) (from a press release by THE YOKOHAMA ILLUMINATION / YORUNOYO Executive Committee)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on a press release from THE YOKOHAMA ILLUMINATION / YORUNOYO Executive Committee (September 4, 2026) and information on the official website.

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team