Illumination Events in Japan

Kiyomizu-dera Spring Illuminations

To celebrate the change to spring, Kiyomizu-dera will hold a night event to brighten up the foliage.

Kōbe Candlelight Concert: Best of Joe Hisaishi (Studio Ghibli)

Warm up a chilly night with candlelight and your favorite songs from Studio Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi.

NAKED Hikone Castle Cherry Blossom Festival 2025

This nighttime event lights up the thousands of cherry blossoms at Hikone Castle near Lake Biwa.

“Light of Versailles” Winter Illumination

A winter illumination event involving fountains, water, and lots of lights.

Sapporo White Illumination

See the snowy streets of Sapporo lit up with illuminations

Tsunan Snow Festival

Sky lanterns light up the night, snowboarders take on epic jumps, and local food stalls bring Niigata’s snow country to life at the Tsunan Snow Festival.

Lake Towada Winter Story of Light

Visit an illuminated winter wonderland with fireworks each night in Aomori.

Chitose and Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival

Make the most of the cold and savor winter at the Chitose and Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival in Hokkaido.

Otaru Snow Light Path Festival 2025

A quieter alternative in Sapporo's beautiful snows.

Ashikaga Flower Park Illuminations 2024

Visit one of the best illuminations in Japan and relive the wonder of the spring wisteria.

Namba Hikari Tabi Illumination 2024

Glow up your Instagram — literally. Experience a mesmerizing journey through lights with glowing art installations and illuminations.

Osaka and Kōbe Illuminage

See Osaka and Kobe come alight at this unique illumination event.

Abashiri Okhotsk Drift Ice Festival

It gets very, very cold in the far north of Hokkaido, so what better place to have a festival with giant carved ice sculptures?

Uesugi Snow Lantern Festival

Light up a cold winter's day with this lantern festival.

Yamanakako Ice Candles Festival

See the spectacular scene of hundreds of ice candles being lit up.

Kobe Luminarie 2025

A beautiful light show and memorial in one Kobe event.

Shirakawago Winter Light-Up 2025

See a traditional Japanese village lit up bright on a cold winter's night.

Kayabuki no Sato Snow (Miyama Village) Lantern Festival

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

Festival of Lights Osaka

See Osaka come alive with light on those cold winter nights.

Wonder Night Hill Illumination in Osaka

Step into a dazzling world of lights at one of southern Osaka’s largest illumination events.

Kyoto Candlelight Concert: Best of Joe Hisaishi (Studio Ghibli)

Warm up a chilly night with candlelight and your favorite songs from Studio Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi.

Saga Light Fantasy

Saga Station meets illumination.

Illumi Eeru Iwaki

See the streets in Fukushima light up with illuminations.

Light Cycles Kyoto

Visit Light Cycles Kyoto at the Kyoto Botanical Gardens, Japan's oldest public botanical gardens, for unique installations uniting light, sound, and projection art.