Japan Prep Guide
The Best Winter Illuminations in Japan 2026–27: Dates, Prices and How to Get There
Some links on this page earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you. How that works.
Japan's winter light shows come in two kinds: free city displays, most of which switch off on December 25, and paid theme-park spectacles that run into spring. Here are the big ones with confirmed 2026–27 dates, prices and access.
If you only see a few: Nabana no Sato near Nagoya, famous for its 200 m tunnel of light, runs October 17, 2026–May 31, 2027 (¥2,500–3,200). From Tokyo, Ashikaga Flower Park (October 17–February 14; ¥1,500) is our day-trip pick, and Yomiuriland (October 29–April 4) suits families. Roppongi Hills (November 5–December 25) and Tokyo Midtown (November 26–December 25) are free. After Christmas, go for Kobe Luminarie (January 29–February 7, 2027) or Sapporo, lit in parts until March 14.
Opens Klook in a new tab. Affiliate link: we may earn a commission; your price is the same.
Japan winter illuminations 2026–27 at a glance
| Illumination | Region | 2026–27 dates | Entry (adult) | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nabana no Sato | Kuwana, Mie (near Nagoya) | October 17, 2026–May 31, 2027 (closed January 6–7) | ¥2,500–3,200, incl. ¥1,000 voucher | Kintetsu to Nagashima, then direct bus |
| Ashikaga Flower Park, Flower Fantasy | Ashikaga, Tochigi | October 17, 2026–February 14, 2027 (closed December 31) | ¥1,500 | JR Ryomo Line to Ashikaga Flower Park Station |
| Yomiuriland Jewellumination | Inagi, west Tokyo | October 29, 2026–April 4, 2027 | Park entry ¥1,800 (¥1,600 online) | Keio Line, then Sky Shuttle gondola |
| Sagamiko Illumillion | Sagamiko, Kanagawa | November 14, 2026–May 9, 2027 (some closed days) | Paid; varies by date | JR Chuo Line to Sagamiko, then bus |
| Roppongi Hills Keyakizaka | Roppongi, Tokyo | November 5–December 25, 2026 | Free | Roppongi Station |
| Tokyo Midtown | Roppongi, Tokyo | November 26–December 25, 2026 | Free | Roppongi Station |
| Marunouchi Illumination | Tokyo Station area | 2026 not announced; last season November 13, 2025–February 15, 2026 | Free | Tokyo Station |
| Sapporo White Illumination | Sapporo | Odori Park November 20–December 25, 2026; other sites to February 11 or March 14, 2027 | Free | Odori or Sapporo Station |
| Hakodate Christmas Fantasy | Hakodate | December 1–25, 2026 | Free | Bay area, Red Brick Warehouses |
| Kobe Luminarie | Kobe | January 29–February 7, 2027 | Free, except one paid area (¥500–750 in advance) | Sannomiya or Motomachi |
| Huis Ten Bosch, The Starlight Million | Sasebo, Nagasaki | November 6, 2026–February 25, 2027 | Park ticket; varies by date | JR Huis Ten Bosch Station |
Nabana no Sato: the big one near Nagoya
Nabana no Sato, a flower park on Nagashima in Kuwana, puts on one of Japan's biggest light shows: a 200 m tunnel of light, a "river of light" the park bills as one of Japan's largest water illuminations, and a themed area that changes each season. It opens in the rain, when wet ground reflects the lights.
- Prices: ¥2,500 at convenience stores (¥2,700 at the gate) until November 20. From November 21 to February 28 it's ¥3,000 (¥3,200 at the gate), except at Christmas, and from March 1 it's ¥2,500. Every ticket includes a ¥1,000 voucher for food or shopping in the park, plus Begonia Garden entry. Children under elementary school age are free.
- Buy first: the park asks visitors to buy and print tickets at FamilyMart or 7-Eleven before arriving. Without one, getting a ticket at the gate can take more than 30 minutes.
- Christmas, December 23–25: the park opens only from 15:00, and you need a date-specific advance ticket, sold in limited numbers. Gate tickets (¥5,500 with a ¥2,000 voucher) are sold only if any are left. The advance price for those days hadn't been set when we checked.
By public transport it takes about 35 minutes from Nagoya at best: a Kintetsu train to Nagashima Station, then the direct bus that runs daily in season. The Klook coach tour from Nagoya (12:10–21:00) handles transport, but its listing shows Nabana entry as not included.
Browse Nabana no Sato tours from Nagoya on Klook (opens in a new tab)
Winter illuminations near Tokyo
Ashikaga Flower Park: Flower Fantasy
Best known for its spring wisteria, Ashikaga Flower Park covers its 100,000 m² grounds with more than 5 million bulbs in winter. This is the 25th edition, and the park says it won the top prize at the International Illumination Awards in November 2025. The night session runs 15:30–20:30 on weekdays and until 21:00 on weekends and holidays, with 30 extra minutes from November 7 to January 3. Lights come on around 17:00 (about 16:30 from November 7 to January 3). Entry is ¥1,500 for adults and ¥800 for children, day and night sessions are ticketed separately, and the park is closed on December 31.
Take JR to Oyama, then the Ryomo Line to Ashikaga Flower Park Station, which the park warns gets very crowded on the way home. Klook lists a 10–11 hour day tour from Tokyo that ends here after dark, after stops on the Ibaraki coast. See the Ashikaga illumination day tour on Klook (opens in a new tab).
Yomiuriland Jewellumination
This amusement park in Inagi is lit to designs by lighting designer Motoko Ishii, and its fountain shows and rides keep running after dark, which makes it the easy pick with kids. The season runs October 29–April 4, usually from 16:00 (closing times vary), with no illuminations on weekdays from March 1 to 12, 2027. Park entry is ¥1,800 for adults (¥1,600 online). An After Pass from 15:00 adds most rides for ¥3,100 (¥2,800 online). From Shinjuku, take the Keio Line to Keio-Yomiuriland Station and the Sky Shuttle gondola. Compare Yomiuriland ticket prices on Klook (opens in a new tab).
Sagamiko Illumillion
Sagamiko MORI MORI, a resort park in northwestern Kanagawa, puts up about 6 million bulbs, which it bills as one of the largest displays in the Kanto region. The season runs November 14, 2026–May 9, 2027, with some closed days. Entry prices depend on the date, so check the park's calendar. From Sagamiko Station on the JR Chuo Line, a Kanachu bus takes about 8 minutes.
Free in central Tokyo: Roppongi and Marunouchi
Roppongi Hills lights about 400 m of Keyakizaka-dori in "SNOW & BLUE" from November 5 to December 25, 17:00–22:00. Tokyo Midtown's display runs November 26–December 25, 17:00–23:00, and the two are a 10–15 minute walk apart. Marunouchi hadn't announced 2026 dates when we checked (last season: November 13, 2025–February 15, 2026). For Roppongi's Christmas market and the ticketed ones at Shin-Toyosu and Shiba Park, see our Tokyo Christmas Market 2026 guide.
Hokkaido, Kobe and Kyushu
Sapporo White Illumination is in its 46th year; it started in 1981 with about 1,000 bulbs in Odori Park. Odori Park is lit from November 20 to December 25, 2026, alongside the Munich Christmas Market. The Ekimae-dori site stays on until February 11 and Minami-Ichijo-dori until March 14, 2027, and it's all free. Coming for the Sapporo Snow Festival (February 4–11, 2027)? The Ekimae-dori lights will still be on.
Hakodate Christmas Fantasy floats a giant tree on the water in front of the Red Brick Warehouses from December 1 to 25, 2026, with fireworks every evening at 18:00. It's free to watch.
Kobe Luminarie, the memorial light festival that began after the 1995 earthquake, no longer runs in December. The 32nd edition is January 29–February 7, 2027, at Meriken Park, Higashi Yuenchi and the old foreign settlement, lit from dusk until about 21:30. Only part of Meriken Park is paid: ¥500 on weekdays and ¥750 on weekends in advance, or ¥1,000 and ¥1,500 on the day.
Huis Ten Bosch, the Dutch-themed resort near Sasebo, has a new show, "The Starlight Million", which it calls its first major overhaul in 16 years. It runs November 6, 2026–February 25, 2027, inside the park, so you need a park ticket. From Hakata, the JR limited express Huis Ten Bosch takes about 1 hour 50 minutes. See Huis Ten Bosch tickets on Klook (opens in a new tab).
Tips for illumination season
- Go on a weekday if you can. Weekends and December 23–25 are usually the busiest nights, and Nabana needs special tickets for those three days.
- Arrive before dusk. Tokyo's sunset is around 16:30 in December, and watching the lights come on is half the fun.
- Dress for standing still: see our Japan winter packing list.
- Some light-ups need reservations. The Shirakawa-go village light-up in January 2027 is reservation-only; see our Shirakawa-go light-up guide.
Questions about Japan's winter illuminations
When do winter illuminations start in Japan?
The big theme-park shows start in mid to late October: Nabana and Ashikaga on October 17, Yomiuriland on October 29, 2026. Tokyo's city displays mostly switch on in November, and many end on December 25.
Which illuminations in Japan are free?
The city displays: Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Midtown, Marunouchi, Sapporo and Hakodate. Kobe Luminarie is free apart from one paid area. The theme parks all charge entry.
Can I still see illuminations after Christmas?
Yes. Nabana runs to May 31, Sagamiko to May 9, Yomiuriland to April 4, Huis Ten Bosch to February 25 and Ashikaga to February 14. Kobe Luminarie is in late January and early February, and two Sapporo sites stay lit into February and March.
Is Kobe Luminarie held in December?
Not anymore. The 2027 edition runs January 29–February 7.
Our pick by trip type
- Tokyo, one free evening: Keyakizaka and Midtown in Roppongi, through December 25.
- Tokyo, one day trip: Ashikaga Flower Park.
- With kids: Yomiuriland, where the rides keep running after dark.
- Traveling between Tokyo and Kyoto via Nagoya: Nabana no Sato.
- January or February: Kobe Luminarie, Sapporo or Huis Ten Bosch.
Weather, events and bookings for the whole season are in our Japan in winter guide.
Related guides
Save this guide for later
