Winter Illuminations 2026 / November 2026
Winter Illuminations in Japan: November 2026
14 illumination spots typically running in November 2026, across Japan. Windows are re-checked against official sources.
- Typically Oct 17 – Feb 15Kinpaku Kirara (Gold-Leaf Snow Guards)IlluminationFree
- Typically Oct 18 – May 31Nabana no Sato Winter IlluminationIllumination
- Typically Oct 18 – Feb 14Ashikaga Flower Park: Flower FantasyIllumination¥1,400
- Typically Oct 23 – Apr 5Yomiuriland JewelluminationIllumination4:00 PM¥3,100
- Typically Oct 24 – May 24Southeast Botanical Gardens: Okinawa Tropical IlluminationIllumination¥2,500
- Typically Nov 1 – Feb 28Yokohama Illumination (Yoru no Yo)IlluminationFree
- Fri, Nov 13 – Sun, Jan 17, 2027Universal Studios Japan ChristmasIllumination¥1,700
- Typically Nov 13 – Dec 25Tokyo Midtown Christmas IlluminationIllumination5:00 PMFree
Typically Nov 13 – Feb 15Marunouchi IlluminationIllumination4:00 PMFree- Typically Nov 15 – May 10Sagamiko IllumillionIllumination4:00 PM¥2,000
- Typically Nov 17 – Jan 3Hiroshima DreaminationIllumination5:30 PMFree
Fri, Nov 20 – Sun, Mar 14, 2027Sapporo White IlluminationIllumination4:30 PMFree- Typically Nov 22 – Feb 28Enoshima: Shonan no HousekiIllumination5:00 PM¥500
- Dates TBAHuis Ten Bosch: Kingdom of LightIllumination¥7,600
Travelling in Japan in November 2026
The peak of the autumn colour season across most of Honshu, and the month the first winter illuminations switch on, generally from mid-November. Days are short — it is dark by around 5pm — which suits illuminated night viewing but leaves less daylight for sightseeing. Culture Day and Labor Thanksgiving Day both fall in November and make popular viewing spots noticeably busier.
Japanese public holidays this month — expect heavier crowds at the spots above, and on the trains to them:
- Culture Day (Tuesday, November 3)
- Labor Thanksgiving Day (Monday, November 23)
Winter illuminations in November 2026: common questions
- Which winter illuminations are on in Japan in November 2026?
- This page lists 14 winter illuminations falling in November 2026, spread across 8 regions — Kanto, Hokuriku, Tokai, Okinawa, Kansai, Chugoku, Hokkaido and Kyushu. Highlights include Kinpaku Kirara (Gold-Leaf Snow Guards), Nabana no Sato Winter Illumination and Ashikaga Flower Park: Flower Fantasy. Every date is re-checked against the official source for that event.
- When exactly do they run?
- Across the 14 listed here, the season starts as early as Oct 17 and as late as Nov 22, with the last of them running until about May 31. Individual dates are on each event's page; windows shift by a week or more from year to year with the weather.
- Are there any public holidays in Japan in November 2026?
- Yes — Culture Day (Tuesday, November 3) and Labor Thanksgiving Day (Monday, November 23). Popular viewing spots and the trains to them are noticeably busier on public holidays and the weekends either side of them.