Nagasaki Lantern Festival 2026: The Ultimate Guide to Venues, Food & Tips

2026年2月22日

Jahsuke, the Festival Lover

An outdoor blogger who loves camping and festivals. This time, I’m moving my field to the “Streets of Nagasaki” to introduce you to Kyushu’s biggest winter light festival!

The best part of winter camping is gazing at the campfire in the crisp air… but this time, I invite you to a magical world where the entire city is filled with about 15,000 brightly colored Chinese lanterns.

Welcome to the Nagasaki Lantern Festival.

Even if you think “Camping sounds fun, but winter is too cold,” I highly recommend this adventure into a magical “Forest of Light.”
For 2026, a collaboration with the mega-hit anime “The Apothecary Diaries” (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) has been announced, making it even more exciting than usual! As an outdoorsman, I’ll share my complete survival guide, including some of my own “epic fails” to help you plan your trip!

1. What is the Nagasaki Lantern Festival? History & Charm

The vibrant atmosphere of the Nagasaki Lantern Festival

The Nagasaki Lantern Festival originally started as the “Spring Festival,” celebrated by the residents of Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown for the Chinese Lunar New Year. It was initially a local neighborhood event, but its stunning beauty attracted so much attention that it expanded to its current city-wide scale in 1994.

Today, it’s a massive event drawing over 1 million visitors. When the colorful lanterns are lit, the city of Nagasaki transforms into an exotic, otherworldly realm. First, take a look at the energy and atmosphere in this quick video!

@camp_de_zakki #CapCut #Nagasaki #LanternFest #NagasakiLanternFestival #Lanterns ♬ Chinese/Pop Music – Shuurei

2. [2026 Update] Event Schedule & Highlights

2026 Event Overview

Dates: Feb 6 (Fri) – Feb 23 (Mon/Holiday), 2026 *An 18-day celebration!
Illumination Hours: 17:00 – 22:00 (Starts at 18:00 on the first day, Feb 6)
*At Shinchi Chinatown and Hamanmachi venues, lanterns are lit from 12:00 PM onwards starting Feb 7.

Various events and shows are held every day during the festival. Must-sees include the beautiful performance of the traditional Chinese instrument “Erhu” and the dynamic “Dragon Dance” (Ja-odori).

Erhu Performance — Magical sounds of the Erhu

Spotlight Collaboration: “The Apothecary Diaries”

The biggest highlight of 2026 is undoubtedly the collaboration with the globally popular anime “The Apothecary Diaries” (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto)!

Source: The Apothecary Diaries × Nagasaki Lantern Festival Official Website

Special collaboration lanterns will be displayed near the Shinchibashi Square, where limited-edition merchandise will also be sold. Please note that the merch shop is 100% cashless (no cash accepted). Make sure you have your credit cards, transit IC cards (like Suica), or mobile payment apps ready!

3. Access Guide & My Epic Fail: Where to Park?

My Epic Fail: Staring at Red Tail Lights Instead of Red Lanterns

A few years ago, I underestimated the crowds. Thinking, “It’s a weekday, I’ll definitely find parking nearby,” I drove right up to the Chinatown area.
The result… a complete disaster.

Every single parking lot was “FULL.” The roads were completely gridlocked. I spent over an hour stuck in my car, completely exhausted before I even saw a single lantern.

Conclusion: Do not try to drive near the venues.

If you are renting a car, I highly recommend the “Park & Ride” method: park your car a bit further away from the city center and take the tram or bus. Nagasaki’s streetcars have a wonderful retro vibe. Enjoying the journey itself is the true outdoorsman’s style! (For tourists, taking the tram from Nagasaki Station is cheap, easy, and highly recommended.)

4. Venues, Specialties & Photo Spots

Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown Venue (Minato Park)

This is Minato Park, the main venue. Here, you’ll find not only gorgeous lanterns but also a traditional altar displaying real pig heads as offerings. Seeing them all lined up makes a massive impact.

Behind the altar, there are displays inspired by the mythical “Dragon Palace” (Ryugu-jo), and both sides of the venue are packed with street food stalls. Lanterns are also decorated above the stalls, so don’t forget to look up while you enjoy your snacks.

Meganebashi (Spectacles Bridge) Area (Nakashima River Park)

A must-visit for photography lovers! The collaboration of the red and pinkish lanterns reflecting on the river surface alongside the historic stone Spectacles Bridge is breathtakingly beautiful.
When leaning over the bridge to take a reflection shot, please be extremely careful not to drop your smartphone or camera into the river!

It gets very crowded, but at the photo spots, people are generally polite. Some even kindly stepped aside and asked, “Would you like to take a photo?”, making it surprisingly easy to get a good shot.

Chuo Park Venue

Chuo Park welcomes you with lots of animal-shaped lanterns. This area also has food stalls on both sides and is relatively spacious, making it highly recommended for families with children.

🏮 Handheld Lanterns for Sale!

You can buy a cool handheld lantern with the characters “Nagasaki Tokai” (Nagasaki Lantern Festival) written on it!

Colors: Red (Health & Safety), Pink (Love), Yellow (Wealth)
Price: Usually 1,600 yen → Only 1,400 yen if you buy through the STLOCAL app!
*Note: On-site payment is via the PayPay app only. (Tourists without Japanese payment apps should prepare accordingly!)

When I visited, the red ones were sold out, so I bought pink and yellow. Once you turn on the light inside, they all kind of look reddish in the dark anyway (laughs).

↑ The gimmick that projects characters onto the ground is so cool!

Belnade Kanko Dori / Confucius Shrine (Nagasaki Koi / Love Lanterns)

The “Nagasaki Koi (Love) Lanterns” are especially popular with couples and younger crowds.
You can write your wishes for romance, good matchmaking, or health on a pink lantern and dedicate it to the shrine (1,000 yen per lantern). The sight of countless pink lights lining the magical night streets is so cute you won’t be able to resist taking photos!

Sales & Dedication Spots: Belnade Kanko Dori, Nagasaki Confucius Shrine

Tojin Yashiki (Former Chinese Settlement) Venue (Four-Shrine Candle Prayer Tour)

In the “Tojin Yashiki” area, where Chinese merchants once stayed during the Edo period, you can experience a unique spiritual event: the “Four-Shrine Candle Prayer Tour” (Entry fee: 500 yen).

It is said that if you visit four specific shrines (Dojindo, Tenkodo, Kannondo, and Fukken Kaikan) and light a red candle at each, your wishes will come true. It’s set up like a stamp rally, and if you complete all four, you get a small souvenir. Walking through the quiet, solemn atmosphere while feeling the deep history is truly special.

Street Corner Surprises! Giant Lanterns

Don’t let your guard down while moving between venues! Giant lantern displays that make you look up in awe are scattered throughout the shopping streets and arcades. Finding them in unexpected places is one of the true joys of exploring the city.

5. Must-Try Local Street Food in the Cold Night Air

Kakuni Manju (Braised Pork Belly Bun)

Melt-in-your-mouth braised pork belly sandwiched inside a fluffy steamed bun. Eating a piping hot Kakuni Manju while blowing on it to cool it down brings a sense of happiness that’s exactly like eating comfort food while winter camping.

Ishidatami Chocolat (Cobblestone Chocolate Cake)

An exquisite chocolate cake inspired by the traditional cobblestone streets of Nagasaki. I highly recommend buying it as a souvenir to enjoy while basking in the afterglow of the festival at your hotel.

View online order & product link ▼

[商品価格に関しましては、リンクが作成された時点と現時点で情報が変更されている場合がございます。]

チョコレートスイーツお菓子お取り寄せ長崎石畳ショコラ絶品チョコレートケーキ（ハーフサイズ）【北海道・沖縄・離島お届け不可】
価格：3,600円（税込、送料無料) (2026/2/15時点)

1. What is the Nagasaki Lantern Festival? History & Charm

2. [2026 Update] Event Schedule & Highlights

Spotlight Collaboration: “The Apothecary Diaries”

3. Access Guide & My Epic Fail: Where to Park?

My Epic Fail: Staring at Red Tail Lights Instead of Red Lanterns

4. Venues, Specialties & Photo Spots

Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown Venue (Minato Park)

Meganebashi (Spectacles Bridge) Area (Nakashima River Park)

Chuo Park Venue

🏮 Handheld Lanterns for Sale!

Belnade Kanko Dori / Confucius Shrine (Nagasaki Koi / Love Lanterns)

Tojin Yashiki (Former Chinese Settlement) Venue (Four-Shrine Candle Prayer Tour)

Street Corner Surprises! Giant Lanterns

5. Must-Try Local Street Food in the Cold Night Air

Kakuni Manju (Braised Pork Belly Bun)

Ishidatami Chocolat (Cobblestone Chocolate Cake)

6. Editor’s Choice: Useful Gear for City Exploring

DJI Osmo Nano本体・コンボ＆アクセサリーリスト

基本セット（スタンダードコンボ）

スタンダードコンボ（128GB推奨）

スタンダードコンボ（64GB）

安心の保証プラン

1年版（DJI Care Refresh）

2年版（DJI Care Refresh）

アクティビティ別 コンボセット

ランニングコンボ

ハイキングコンボ

カーマウントコンボ（車載用）

マウンテンバイクコンボ

純正アクセサリー

ガラスレンズカバー

NDフィルターセット

磁気ヘッドバンド

両方向クイックリリース式折りたたみアダプターマウント

クイックリリース式調整型アダプターマウント

DJI Mic 3（ワイヤレスマイク）

DJI Osmo Nano
本体・コンボ＆アクセサリーリスト

アクティビティ別コンボセット