Huis Ten Bosch: Kingdom of Light 2026 Confirmed

ハウステンボス 光の王国 — Sasebo, Nagasaki (Kyushu)

Last updated: Sun, August 2, 2026

🎟️ Book ahead ↓

In Fukuoka in November? See all 10 events in Fukuoka that month →

Huis Ten Bosch, a Dutch-themed resort town on Kyushu's west coast, runs the world's largest illumination every night of the year — around 13 million LEDs spread across its canals, windmills and recreated European streetscapes.

Background

Unlike most Japanese illuminations, which run for a few winter weeks, Huis Ten Bosch built the light show into its year-round operations, and it has been ranked Japan's top illumination in industry surveys for multiple years running.

Getting there

Huis Ten Bosch has its own station, JR Huis Ten Bosch, a 5–7 minute walk from the entrance. From Fukuoka the direct Limited Express Huis Ten Bosch takes about 1 hour 45 minutes; from Nagasaki the rapid Seaside Liner takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. The catch for an evening visit is the last train home: the lights come on after sunset, but direct trains back to Hakata stop in the afternoon.

From Fukuoka (Hakata) by train: The Limited Express Huis Ten Bosch runs direct from Hakata Station to JR Huis Ten Bosch Station in about 1 hour 45 minutes, no change needed. A regular ticket with a reserved seat is about ¥4,750 one way; JR Kyushu's online-only discount tickets start from about ¥2,700. The route is covered by the Japan Rail Pass and the JR Kyushu Rail Pass (Northern Kyushu or All Kyushu). Arriving at Fukuoka Airport, take the subway two stops (about 5 minutes) to Hakata and board there.

From Fukuoka by highway bus: Nishitetsu and Saihi Bus run a direct express from Nishitetsu Tenjin Expressway Bus Terminal, Hakata Bus Terminal and Fukuoka Airport (International Terminal) — about 2 hours, ¥2,600 one way. Seats must be reserved in advance, and there are only two round trips a day, so the train is far more flexible.

From Nagasaki city: The rapid Seaside Liner runs direct from Nagasaki Station along Omura Bay in about 1 hour 30 minutes (¥1,730), roughly once an hour, with unreserved seats, so no booking is needed. Don't look for a shinkansen: the Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen does not serve Huis Ten Bosch, and the direct Seaside Liner is simpler.

From Nagasaki Airport: Saihi Bus runs from stop 2 at the airport to the park's entrance in about 60–70 minutes (¥1,500). No reservation is taken, so a full bus can leave you behind at busy times. On weekends and holidays only, Yasuda Sangyo Kisen's high-speed boat crosses Omura Bay in about 50 minutes to the park's own marine terminal (¥2,500), but with just two sailings a day (from the airport at 10:30 and 15:20 in the autumn 2026 schedule) it suits arrivals, not evening returns.

From Sasebo: JR Huis Ten Bosch Station is about 20 minutes from Sasebo Station by local train or Seaside Liner — handy if you stay in Sasebo, where hotels are usually cheaper than inside the park.

Getting back after the lights: The direct Limited Express back to Hakata stops running before 4 pm. In the evening, take a local train one stop (about 5 minutes) to Haiki and change there to the Limited Express Midori for Hakata — the last Midori leaves Haiki at about 21:00, so leave the park by about 20:00. The last train to Nagasaki leaves Huis Ten Bosch at about 22:15. (Times from JR Kyushu's timetable as of September 2026.) To see the illuminations without watching the clock, stay the night — the park's official hotels are a short walk from the lights.

Tips

• Because it runs every night, there's no 'season' to plan around — the trade-off is that it's also busiest on weekends and around Japanese holidays year-round.
• The park is large; the illuminated canal cruise and the castle light projection are the two set-pieces worth prioritizing if time is short.

Maintained by Tetsu Yamamoto · Last verified against the official source: Sun, August 2, 2026