The Winter Edit · 2026–27
Japan this winter:
11 events worth braving the snow for.
Snow sculptures and sumo by day, thatched houses and wisteria lights at dusk, candles, lanterns and a tunnel of light after dark, and fireworks and fire to end.
Photos: Eckhard Pecher · CC BY 2.5 / Jordy Meow · CC BY-SA 3.0 / 欅 (keyaki) · CC BY-SA 3.0 / Hoboesque · CC BY-SA 4.0
01
DaytimeOut in the snow
Out into the snow.By day, winter Japan is out in the snow and the crowds: snow sculptures lining Sapporo’s Odori Park, and the year’s first grand sumo tournament in Ryogoku.
Sapporo
Sapporo Snow Festival 2027
Snow sculptures line eleven blocks of Odori Park, ice sculptures glow under the Susukino neon, and Tsudome is for anyone who wants to slide down a snow slope.
Free admission to all three sites
Tokyo
Grand Sumo January 2027 — Tokyo
The year’s first grand sumo tournament runs 15 days at the Ryogoku Kokugikan, from the yokozuna’s ring entry to the bow dance.
JPY 3,000–30,000
Photo · Gregg Tavares
Ushers parade sponsors’ banners around the ring at the January 2014 tournament; a file photo, not this tournament.
CC BY 2.0
02
DuskAs the lights come on
When the lights come on.As the light fades, Shirakawa-go’s thatched houses glow in the snow and Ashikaga’s wisteria blooms in light; in Nara, fireworks open the night before a whole hillside is set alight.
ShirakawaBetween Takayama and Kanazawa
Shirakawa-go Light-up 2027
World Heritage Shirakawa-go lights up on just four nights a year; without a booking you cannot get in.
JPY 7,000–10,000 (parking per car)
Photo · Jordy Meow
Shirakawa-go’s Ogimachi from the lookout at dusk on 2 February 2014, its thatched houses lit in the snow; a file photo.
CC BY-SA 3.0
AshikagaNorth of Tokyo
Ashikaga Flower Park Flower Fantasy 2026–27
One of Japan’s three great illuminations: over five million lights turned into wisteria, snowmen and reflections.
Adults 1,500 yen (evening)
Photo · Miyuki Meinaka
The wisteria lights at the 20th Flower Fantasy in 2021; a file photo.
CC BY-SA 4.0
NaraSouth of Kyoto
Wakakusa Yamayaki 2027
Nara’s January hill-burning: about 600 fireworks, then 300 firefighters set the whole slope alight at once.
Paid viewing areas to be announced
Photo · 名古屋太郎
The Wakakusa hill burning, seen from the Heijo Palace site in January 2011; a long exposure catches the fireworks and the fire together; a file photo.
CC BY-SA 4.0
03
After darkFollow the lights
After dark, follow the lights.Candles float on Otaru’s canal, lanterns fill Nagasaki’s Chinatown for the new year, arches of light follow one another by Kobe’s harbour, and at Nabana no Sato near Nagoya a tunnel of light runs for 200 metres.
OtaruNorthwest of Sapporo
Otaru Snow Light Path 2027
Otaru’s handmade candle festival: glass floats glowing on the canal and candles along a railway buried in snow.
Details to be announced
Photo · 欅 (keyaki)
The Otaru Canal during the Snow Light Path, February 2009, with candles floating on the water; a file photo.
CC BY-SA 3.0
Nagasaki
Nagasaki Lantern Festival 2027
Lanterns fill Nagasaki’s Chinatown and old town for the Lunar New Year, with an Emperor’s Parade, Mazu procession and daily dragon dances.
Street venues free
Photo · Balon Greyjoy
Pink lanterns strung over the river at the 2019 Nagasaki Lantern Festival; a file photo.
CC0
KobeWest of Osaka
Kobe Luminarie 2027
Begun after the 1995 earthquake, Kobe Luminarie lights Italian-made arches by the harbour for a 32nd time.
JPY 500–1,500 (Meriken Park paid area)
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KuwanaWest of Nagoya
Nabana no Sato Illumination 2026–27
Walk a 200 m tunnel of golden light, then lights across the water and twin trees lit at the chapel bell.
From 3,000 yen in December (with a 1,000-yen voucher)
Photo · panoramiokobax
The tunnel of light at Nabana no Sato in November 2011; a file photo.
CC BY 3.0
04
Late nightThe last fire
Save the last nights for fireworks and fire.
In Chichibu, floats are hauled up a steep slope under winter fireworks; up in a Nagano spa village, men of unlucky age defend the tower they built by hand until it burns, then soak in a hot spring.
ChichibuNorthwest of Tokyo
Chichibu Night Festival 2026
One of Japan’s three great float festivals: lantern-lit floats hauled up the Dangozaka slope under winter fireworks.
B seats 4,000 yen (reserved, 3 December)
Nozawa OnsenNorthern Nagano
Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Fire Festival 2027
One of Japan’s great fire festivals: men of unlucky age defend a hand-built shrine tower against villagers with torches, until it burns.
Viewing arrangements to be confirmed
Photo · Hoboesque
Lanterns lit by the burning shrine tower at the Nozawa Onsen Dosojin festival, 15 January 2015; a file photo.
CC BY-SA 4.0