Illumination Events in Japan

Festival of Lights Osaka

Osaka’s winter illuminations are split into two main events under the “Festival of Lights” umbrella: Midosuji Illumination and Osaka Hikari Renaissance. But there are also quite …

Saga Light Fantasy

Spreading out from the south entrance of Saga Station, Saga Light Fantasy is a winter illumination featuring more than 1.8 million colored LED bulbs. There will be an incredible opening night on …

Sendai Pageant of Starlight

In its 37th year, the event’s official Japanese title is “Sendai Hikari no Pajento” which doesn’t mention anything about starlight. If it’s not obvious from the …

Illumi Eeru Iwaki

Formerly known as Iwaki Hikari no Sakura (Light Cherry Blossoms), this illumination event has been rebranded with a difficult to translate name. “Eeru” is an encouraging chant used in …

Fukuoka Christmas Market and Illuminations

Fukuoka Christmas Market is considered one of the biggest Christmas markets in Japan. There are a number of venues, so technically there is more than one market. In its 10th year, the miniature …

Huis Ten Bosch Christmas Town

Christmas really does come early in Nagasaki. Even if only 2% of Japanese are Christians, they do the season so well that this is really worth checking out. As soon as Halloween ends, the whole …

Glover Garden Night Illumination

Nagasaki is a city so soaked in the history of Japan and the West that you can hardly turn a corner without stepping into a significant space. The Glover Garden is one such place. In 1863, Thomas …

Kobe Luminarie 2023

Update: For 2022, the illuminations will once again be postponed, but an alternative event will take place. See below for details. Kobe Luminarie is an annual winter light-up held in memory of …

Himeji Castle Light-up

Himeji Castle has several illumination events throughout the year. For 2022, the winter illumination event will have the title “Castle History” as 2023 will be the 30th anniversary of …

Kiyomizu-dera Autumn Illuminations

To celebrate the changing of seasons, Kiyomizu-dera opens up in the evening three times a year (autumn, spring, and summer) and holds an illumination event to brighten up the foliage. The pagoda, …

Kōrankei Momiji Festival

The Kōrankei Gorge is home to around 4,000 color-changing maples. This year there will be illuminations from sundown until 9 p.m. throughout November as part of the annual autumn festival. There …

Daimonji Okuribi

For 2022 (as with 2021), the fireworks display which usually follows Daimonji ceremony has been canceled. Also, anyone not directly involved in the ceremony will be barred from attending and Nara …

Nara Tokae

Update: In 2022, some festivities may be canceled. Check their guide map for more details. A ten-day event taking place in Nara, the Tokae sees thousands of candles placed in varying displays and …

“Light of Versailles” Winter Illumination

Each year at Toki no Sumika – a leisure resort in the Gotemba area of Shizuoka – there is a winter illumination involving fountains, water and lots of lights. The show timings are …

Sapporo White Illumination

This winter light-up takes place at five different locations including Odori Park, Sapporo Eki-mae Dori and Minami 1-Jo Dori. All locations switch on the lights on November 22nd, but while Odori …

Osaka Illuminage

Illuminage will happen at five venues this year throughout Osaka and Kobe (and even one in Fukuoka) — that’s a lot of lights. For more of Osaka’s best winter illuminations, …

Shirakawago Winter Light-Up 2023

The 2023 Shirakawa-go Winter Light-up has been announced! It will go ahead this year but reservations will be required. Where is Shirakawago? Shirakawago is a picturesque village in Gifu …

Lake Towada Winter Story of Light

Lake Towada will be transformed into an illuminated winter wonderland with fireworks each night. The festival includes fireworks at 7:30 p.m., activities that require advanced reservations, and …

Otaru Light Snow Path 2023

Timed to coincide with Sapporo’s giant winter festival, Otaru’s Light Snow Path (Otaru Yuki Akari no Michi — the awkward name is a direct translation) event is on a much more …

Uesugi Snow Lantern Festival

In Yonezawa City, there is a wonderful lantern festival that has been going on for nearly 50 years. What happens? 200 snow lanterns and around 1000 snow caves are lit up in Matsugasaki Park in …

Abashiri Okhotsk Drift Ice Festival

With ice floes and drift ice in the winter seas around Abashiri in the far north of Hokkaido, it gets very, very cold – so what better place to have a festival with giant carved ice …

Kayabuki no Sato Snow Lantern Festival

An amazing chance to see a remote, snow-covered thatched village illuminated with hundreds of lanterns.

teamLab: Digitized Fukuyama Castle

teamLab: Digitized Fukuyama Castle is a fantastic exhibition created by light from the international art collective teamLab that will take place in Fukuyama. It coincides with the 400th …

ROHM Illumination

This was Kyoto’s largest illumination with over 860,000 lights and some stunning spaces. Highlights included the well-known pair of Yamamomo trees which mark the entrance to the glowing …