When is SENDAI Pageant of Starlight illuminated?

SENDAI Pageant of Starlight is typically lit up from Dec 5 – Dec 28. Lights are typically on from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM nightly. Exact dates shift year to year, so check the official site close to your trip.

How many lights are used at SENDAI Pageant of Starlight?

SENDAI Pageant of Starlight uses roughly 480,000 LED lights.

SENDAI Pageant of Starlight 2026 Dates TBA

SENDAI光のページェント — Sendai, Miyagi (Tohoku)

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Season: Dates TBA (usually: early to late December)
Time: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Venue: Jozenji-dori & Aoba-dori Avenues (定禅寺通・青葉通)
Scale: ~480K lights
Tickets: Free to view.
Official site: sendaihikape.jp

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Sendai's two central boulevards, lined with mature zelkova trees, are wrapped in warm-white LED lights for a display first held in 1986 that gave the city its reputation as the Mori no Miyako ('city of trees') aglow for winter.

Background

Started by local volunteers and shopkeepers in 1986, the Pageant of Starlight has run almost every December since, becoming one of the Tohoku region's three major illuminations.

Getting there

Jozenji-dori is a 5-minute walk from Sendai Station via the Aoba-dori exit, or directly served by Kotodai-koen Station on the Sendai Municipal Subway.

Getting around Japan

🚄 Japan Rail Pass — unlimited JR travel, including most shinkansen. Cheapest bought before you fly

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Tips

Lighting hours are shorter on weeknights (from around 19:00) and longer on Fridays, Saturdays and the two Christmas nights (from around 18:00) — check the day of the week before planning your arrival.
The same zelkova trees are decorated for the summer Tanabata festival, so the boulevard is a year-round festival backdrop for the city.

Frequently asked questions

When is SENDAI Pageant of Starlight illuminated?: SENDAI Pageant of Starlight is typically lit up from Dec 5 – Dec 28. Lights are typically on from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM nightly. Exact dates shift year to year, so check the official site close to your trip.
Where is SENDAI Pageant of Starlight, and how do you get there?: SENDAI Pageant of Starlight is located at Jozenji-dori & Aoba-dori Avenues in Sendai, Miyagi. Jozenji-dori is a 5-minute walk from Sendai Station via the Aoba-dori exit, or directly served by Kotodai-koen Station on the Sendai Municipal Subway.
How many lights are used at SENDAI Pageant of Starlight?: SENDAI Pageant of Starlight uses roughly 480,000 LED lights.
Is SENDAI Pageant of Starlight free to visit, or do I need tickets?: Free to view.

Last verified against the official source: Sun, August 2, 2026

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SENDAI Pageant of Starlight 2026 Dates TBA

Background

Getting there

Getting around Japan

Tips

Frequently asked questions

Plan your trip

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