Get out of Tokyo to see some of Japan’s biggest and most spectacular winter light shows, from Nagasaki to Aomori
We know Tokyo has some of the most spectacular illuminations, from the ever-popular Midtown Christmas to the award-winning projection mapping and light show put on by Tokyo Lights at Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery. But the rest of Japan is full of similarly bright ideas worth catching the bullet train for. Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi displays five million lights shaped like all kinds of flowers, while Mie prefecture boasts one of the largest illuminations in Japan.
Read on for a list of the best illuminations in Japan.
RECOMMENDED: Prefer to stay in the city? Explore these illuminations and light displays in Tokyo
Until May 31
Nabana no Sato hosts one of the biggest illuminations in Japan, and its main installation features a ‘sea of clouds’ with a 30m-tall mountain-like sculpture embellished with LED lights. A nine-minute light show is projected on the sculpture, depicting lush greenery and flowers, along with snowfall and a desert. But the real highlight is the 200m-long tunnel covered in small, flower-shaped champagne-gold LED lights.
From November 11 to end of August 2023
Immerse yourself in light displays at Izu Granpal Park. You’ll be walking over bridges, under tunnels and through gates covered in lights, making you feel like you’re a part of the illumination. Most of the decorations here are paper lanterns shaped like flowers, animals, seashells and paper cranes. You can go down a long slide, or even take a zipline through the park to see the lights from a different angle.
Enjoy the city at its most sparkly – when Tokyo switches on its festive lights and illuminations in winter
From snowy mountains to a white onsen town, there are plenty of places to make the most of the chilly season
Tourists with foreign passports can explore Japan on a discount with these affordable train passes by JR
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