Shirakawa-go Winter Light-Up 2027 Confirmed
白川郷ライトアップ — Shirakawa, Gifu (Tokai)
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- Dates
- Jan 11, Jan 17, Jan 24, Jan 31, 2027
- Time
- 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
- Venue
- Ogimachi village (Shirakawa-go World Heritage Site) (白川村荻町地区)
- Tickets
- Advance reservation only, through an in-village stay, a car or taxi park reservation, or a bus tour. No tickets on the day.
- Official site
- shirakawa-go.gr.jp
On four winter evenings, the thatched gassho-zukuri farmhouses of Shirakawa-go are lit up against the snow — one of Japan's most photographed winter scenes. The 41st light-up in 2027 is held on January 11, 17, 24 and 31, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, and entry is by advance reservation only.
Background
Shirakawa-go's Ogimachi village is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where people still live in the steep-roofed farmhouses. Because of the crowds, the light-up is now run with full advance reservation and colour-coded entry tickets valid for one day only; no tickets are sold on the day.
Getting there
Shirakawa-go is served by highway buses from Takayama, Kanazawa and Toyama. On light-up days a gate closes the village from 3:30 PM to anyone without an entry ticket — if you come by route bus for daytime sightseeing, take one that arrives by 3:20 PM.
Getting around Japan
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Tips
- There are five ways in, all booked in advance: stay overnight in the village, reserve a car park space, reserve a taxi park space, join a route-bus operator's light-up tour, or join a travel agency bus tour. Turning up without a reservation gets you turned away.
- The famous view from the Ogimachi Castle Ruins Observatory is only for holders of an observatory ticket, which comes only with an in-village stay plan or a route-bus tour that includes it — it is not sold on its own.
- Village stays for the light-up are allocated by lottery; details are published on the official site from October 1, 2026 at 1:00 PM.
- The first round of car park reservations sold out on September 10; the second round goes on sale online on December 1, 2026 at 1:00 PM.
- Studless snow tyres are mandatory for cars, tripods are banned on the observatory, and drones are prohibited over the village. The event can be cancelled if a major cold wave disrupts transport.
Frequently asked questions
- When is Shirakawa-go Winter Light-Up 2027?
- Shirakawa-go Winter Light-Up 2027 runs Jan 11, Jan 17, Jan 24, Jan 31, 2027. It runs from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM on event days.
- Where is Shirakawa-go Winter Light-Up, and how do you get there?
- Shirakawa-go Winter Light-Up is held at Ogimachi village (Shirakawa-go World Heritage Site) in Shirakawa, Gifu. Shirakawa-go is served by highway buses from Takayama, Kanazawa and Toyama. On light-up days a gate closes the village from 3:30 PM to anyone without an entry ticket — if you come by route bus for daytime sightseeing, take one that arrives by 3:20 PM.
- Do I need a ticket for Shirakawa-go Winter Light-Up?
- Advance reservation only, through an in-village stay, a car or taxi park reservation, or a bus tour. No tickets on the day.
Last verified against the official source: Sat, September 26, 2026
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