Looking for a memorable and photogenic way to make a wish or express your gratitude? Oizumi Ryokuchi Park in Sakai City, Osaka prefecture, is hosting a sky lantern event over the weekend of July 4–5.
Entry is free, but to take part in the main activity, you’ll need to purchase a lantern. Each hot-air balloon-shaped lantern can admit up to four participants. There’s an early-bird discount of ¥4,500 per lantern if purchased online in advance by July 3. Otherwise, they are ¥5,000 on the day.
Do remember to write a wish or message on your lantern before releasing it into the night sky. Families will be glad to know that the lanterns are fitted with LED lights, making them safe and fun for children.
Thanks Lantern 2026 will have a festival-like set-up, with doors opening at 3pm and the lantern release scheduled for 8pm. Before then, you can enjoy an entertaining lineup of street performances, fill up on café-style light meals and refreshing drinks from the food trucks, and partake in some classic funfair games. There’s also a dinosaur-themed inflatable play area for children, though this costs ¥500 per person for a 15-minute session.