Make winter come alive!
Tokyo annually transforms into a twinkly holiday wonderland, but the light-up magic spans across the entire country, with towering Christmas trees and intricately choreographed light shows. From north to south, here is a selection of our favorite illuminations in Japan in 2019-20.
10
Hakodate Winter Festival
Hokkaido Prefecture
Japan’s “Most Attractive City 2015” is back in the spotlight—50,000 of them—with an annual light up taking place along the city’s picturesque, bayside streets up in Japan’s northernmost region. This isn’t an illumination event per se; more a scattering of decorations at various locales, including the beautiful Hakodate Bay Area and the sloping streets of Hachimanzaka and Nijukkenzaka. Perfect for people who don’t want to fight the crowds, you can even get a wintery lit-up view of the star-shaped Goryokaku area. It will inevitably be snowing wherever you are, ramping up the magical winter wonderland factor.
- Nov. 30, 2019, to Feb. 29, 2020
- Times vary, but light ups start at dusk
- Free
- Closest station: Hakodate
- http://www.hakodate-illumination.com (Japanese)
9
Flower Fantasy
Ashikaga Flower Park, Tochigi Prefecture
Experience every season at Ashikaga Flower Park, where the illuminations replicate the park’s famous flowers, including the beautiful hanging wisteria. Illuminated bulbs cover almost every inch of the park, as well as audiovisual shows, tunnels, and projections. Just a few hours north of Tokyo in Tochigi Prefecture, this illumination is one of Japan’s Top 3 biggest and has even won awards for its display. Flower power has never shined so bright.
- Nov. 2, 2019, to Feb. 6, 2020
- 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. (until 9:30 p.m. weekends and holidays)
- Adult ¥1,000 Child ¥500
- Closest station: JR Ashikaga Flower Park
- https://www.ashikaga.co.jp/flowerfantasy_special2019/en/
8
Fantaseum
Lake Yamanaka, Yamanashi Prefecture
Weekly fireworks running up to Christmas accompany this illumination at the base of iconic Mount Fuji. The light displays are your standard romantic spectacle; it’s the surrounding scenery that makes this one special. In February, the Ice Candle Festival coincides with “Diamond Fuji,” the week when the sun sets directly over the summit of the mountain. Lake Yamanaka is a special sidestep from the more touristy Fuji Five Lakes area and has nearby hot springs, hiking and all the Fuji views you could ever want.
- Nov. 23, 2019, to Jan. 5, 2020
- 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Free
- Closest station: Hananomiyako Koen Iriguchi Bus Stop
- http://www.yamanakako.gr.jp/event/info.php?no=53 (Japanese)
7
Caretta Shiodome
Tokyo
Tokyoites attest you can count on the Shiodome shopping complex to put on a fantastic display of winter illuminations. For 2019, the theme of the Shidome light show is Arabian Nights. Every twenty minutes, a dazzling audiovisual spectacle takes over the plaza, featuring pillars of light and rainbow-colored movements set to a rousing Disney Aladdin soundtrack. There’s tons of time to catch this show with your date, as it’s staying up until Valentine’s Day. Aweeee.
- Nov. 14, 2019, to Feb. 14, 2020
- 5 p.m. - 11 p.m.
- Free
- Closest station: Shimbashi
- https://www.caretta.jp/Illumination/
6
Sagamiko Illumillion
Lake Sagami Pleasure Forest, Kanagawa Prefecture
Not too far from Tokyo, this is an awesome date spot for an evening of spectacles. The punny name sums up this illumination event featuring six million bulbs of light. Billed as a 360-degree light-up, you can view the displays from the Kanagawa Prefecture amusement park rides that stay running into the night. There’s plenty of food and drink for sale to keep you going. It’s bold, it’s brash, and, dare we say it, beautiful.
- Nov. 2, 2019, to April 5, 2020
- 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Adult ¥1,000 Child ¥700 Pet ¥700
- Closest station: Pleasure Forest Zen Bus Stop
- http://www.sagamiko-resort.jp/illumillion (Japanese)
5
Nabana no Sato Winter Illumination
Mie Prefecture
Pictures are worth a thousand words; or in this case, millions of LED lights at Mie Prefectures’s Nabana no Sato at Nagashima Spa Land, one of the country’s biggest and best winter illuminations. The Kawazu Sakura light tunnel features 700,000 twinkling lights to transport you into another world. Take a romantic stroll through this nightscape of star-like bulbs before retiring to one of the many hot springs nearby.
- Oct. 19, 2019, to May 6, 2020
- 9 a.m to 9 p.m.
- ¥2,300
- Closest station: Nagashima Kaigan Bus Stop
- http://bit.ly/nabananosatolights (Japanese)
4
Kobe Luminarie
Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture
Enjoy a warm drink under this ornate tunnel which honors the victims of the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake. This impressive light festival draws millions of visitors each year, so you’ll have to shuffle in step with the crowds to see the displays. A collaborative design between Italian and Japanese artists reminiscent of a Gothic cathedral, visitors feel they’ve been transported to an LED version of Europe even though they are just in Kobe.
- Dec. 6 to 15, 2019
- 6 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. (Mon to Thu), 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. (Fri), 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. (Sat), 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. (Sun)
- Free
- Closest station: Motomachi
- http://kobe-luminarie.jp (Japanese)
3
Osaka Hikari Renaissance
Osaka City
Hosted at the city’s most gorgeous urban park, Nakanoshima, this illumination stretches from Osaka City Hall to the eastern tip of this lush island. Massive, kaleidoscopic projection mapping displays decorate the historic library. Festive food stalls are set up around the park, and a three-kilometer stretch of Midosuji Avenue is lit up, making this one of the longest illuminations in the world. Check the webpage below for several illumination light ups in the area.
- Dec. 14 to 25, 2019
- 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Free
- Closest station: Naniwabashi
- https://www.hikari-kyoen.com/en/renaissance/
2
Tottori Sakyu Illusion
Tottori Prefecture
People don’t generally associate winter with the desert, but this event hosted on Tottori‘s majestic sand dunes means that you can! With gravity-defying sand art, projection mapping, and light tunnels crossing the dunes, this a is Lawrence of Arabia disco-style extravaganza. This is a great chance to see “Japan’s desert” look even more stunning than usual.
- Dec. 7 to 22, 2019
- 5:30 p.m to 9 p.m.
- Free
- Closest station: Kodomonokuniiriguchi Bus Stop
- https://www.tottori-sakyu.jp (Japanese)
1
Kingdom of Lights
Huis Ten Bosch, Nagasaki Prefecture
Taking up much of this beloved Dutch theme park, you’ll need several hours to explore the Kingdom of Lights, made up of a whopping 13 million bulbs. The amazing light waterfall hanging from a height of 66 meters is one of the best night views in Japan. There’s also an enormous electric dragon, a 3D balloon street, and a lit-up zoo. Even the tulips are illuminated. As they say in Holland, “wauw!”
- Oct. 5, 2019, to May 6, 2020
- Varies by date but typically 5 p.m. to 10 p.m
- ¥7,000 full day pass for most attractions, ¥4,500 admission only
- Closest station: Huis Ten Bosch
- http://english.huistenbosch.co.jp/events/?mode=event&Type=1&eventName=190722_light
More on GaijinPot
Check out our ultimate guide to illuminations in each prefecture of Japan’s 47 prefectures.
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