Tips to Fully Enjoy Your First Nagasaki Lantern Festival

Nagasaki Lantern Festival is one of the most iconic winter events in Nagasaki, attracting countless visitors every year.

Stunning lantern displays and colorful decorations that light up the streets bring you into the another world alike.

On stage, exciting performances such as dragon dances and erhu (two-stringed Chinese violin) music create an electric mood. Experience the events packed with fascinating attractions and get ready for the Nagasaki Lantern Festival in 2025!

What is Nagasaki Lantern Festival?

Begun as a celebration of the Chinese New Year, Nagasaki Lantern Festival has become a staple winter event in the city and the largest scale event of its kind in Japan.

Over 15,000 colorful lanterns and art objects are displayed around the city; from Chinatown and Minato Park, to Chuo Park, Meganebashi (Spectacles Bridge), Hama-machi arcade, and many other locations nearby venues.

Throughout the event, joyful attractions such as dragon dances, mask-changers, lion dances and more are held at several locations and stages.

The Date of the Festival in 2025

For 2025, the festival is scheduled to be held from January 29th to February 12th.

Accommodations around Nagasaki city.

Although Nagasaki Lantern Festival lasts for two weeks, accommodations especially for weekends and holidays tend to fill up early. Since the festival is most enchanting in the evening, staying overnight should be a suitable choice. We highly recommend you to confirm your booking as soon as possible.

Time to See Lit-up Lanterns

During the festival, splendid lanterns are basically lit up as following time.

Date	Time
January 29th（Opening Ceremony）	18:00 ～ 22:00
January 30th - February 11th	17:00～22:00
February 12th (The final day)	17:00～21:00

*Regarding Shinchi Chinatown and Hamamachi-arcade venues, the lantern will be lit up at 12:00. (Execpt for January 29th.)

Entering a Dreamlike World with Growling Lanterns

During the festival, the venues are colored with glittering lanterns, creating an atmosphere that feels like entering another world.
A variety of displays such as dragons, golden fish or other figures are so captivative and would never make you bored.

Each Venue Highlight

Shinchi Chinatown (Minato Park)

At Minato Park, located close to Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown, vibrant lantern decorations of various shapes and sizes including the main lantern object are on display. Starting from opening ceremony, the venue hosts a range of stage performances including dragon dances and erhu music. One more key to make your lantern festival more exciting is to enjoy gourmet at food stalls and shopping of lantern-themed goods around the venue.
Chuo Park

Besides a variety of lantern, Chūō Park venue features animal-themed installations that will bring joy to children, along with plenty of food stalls offering delicious treats. Same as Minato Park, an opening ceremony marks the start of the festival and visitors can enjoy daily stage performances during the festival.
Nakashima River Park

The unique yellow lanterns are found only at Nakashima River Park. It reflects on the calm water, creating a mystical scene in the serene atmosphere.
Doza River

The pink lanterns along Doza River create a dreamy and sweet atmosphere. It's within a short walking distance from Shinchi Chinatown venue.
Nagasaki Confucian Shrine & Historical Museum of China

Nagasaki Confucian Shrine & Historical Museum of China, with its vibrant and intricate decorations showcases a fusion of architectural styles from southern and northern China. Throughout the festival, daily events are also must-check!
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Kofukuji Temple

Kofuku-ji Temple, located on Teramachi Street, is truly captivating. Inside the temple, the soft lantern lights create a refined atomosphere, providing a peaceful contrast to the other venues.
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Former Chinese Quarter

The "Former Chinese Quarter" is the place where the Chinese people, coming to Nagasaki for a business purpose, used to live until their return.
The temple, which retains the past memories and the nostalgic scenery, creates a different kind of charm.
Hama-machi Arcade

The lanterns fill the ceiling of the arcade, creating a stunning visual in the brightly colored shopping street.
With a variety of objects lined up, it's also a perfect spot for photos.

Yearly-changed Main Lantern Object

The main lantern object of this festival is displayed at Minato Park venue.
The object is yearly changed and it is thought as an auspicious. Its powerful and impressive design is definitely a must-see.

Exciting Events

The Nagasaki Lantern Festival offers more than just lantern exhibits – you can also join a range of stage events. The stage is filled with exciting performances, such as dragon dances, Chinese lion dances, and erhu music, creating a lively and colorful atmosphere entire the venue.

Chinese Lion Dances
Dragon Dances

2025 Nagasaki Lantern Festival Pamphlet

The event schedule for each venue is also listed on its pamphlet, so be sure to check the time table before heading out.
Note: This pamphlet is only in Japanese. A translator might be useful if needed.

How to Access to the Venues

Starting from JR Nagasaki Station, you can easily access the venues by bus or tram as below. Each stop name in blue will link to Google map locations.

For Shinchi Chinatown;
▶By Bus
　①Take a bus via "Shinchi Chinatown（新地中華街）" at Nagasaki Station South Exit（長崎駅前南口）or Nagasaki Station East Exit（長崎駅前東口）
　②Get off at Shinchi Chinatown（新地中華街）.

▶By tram
　①Take a bus bound for "Sofukuji Temple（崇福寺）" at Nagasaki station（長崎駅前）.
　②Get off at Shinchi Chinatown（新地中華街）.

For Chuo Park and Nakashima River Park;
▶By bus
　①Take a bus via "City Hall（市役所）" at Nagasaki Station East Exit（長崎駅前東口）.
　②Get off at Meganebashi（眼鏡橋）.

▶By tram
　①Get on a tram bound for "Hotarujaya（蛍茶屋）" at Nagasaki station（長崎駅前）.
　②Get off at City Hall（市役所）.

For travelers planning to take bus or tram, several passes are offered in a good deal.
The link below would be helpful for your budget-friendly travel.

What to Wear

In Nagasaki, the minimum temperature in average during January and February is 4.9°C. Depending on the day, it can get even colder, so please make sure to dress warmly. As the Lantern Festival involves walking outside, we strongly suggest you wearing a warm coat, scarf, and other winter accessories. Also, be sure to wear comfortable, sturdy shoes and bring heat packs.

Try its unique gourmet!

At the Nagasaki Lantern Festival, a wide range of food stalls serve one-of-a-kind dishes including authentic Chinese cuisine. Enjoy your Lantern festival with its special gourmet and a unique food crawl experience that is a bit different from other festivals.

Yori-yori (sweet fried dough)

Yori-yori is a sweet fried-dough cuisine, typically made of wheat flour and fried in oil. Its crispy texture makes it a bit harder even for a bite, but addictive. Don't miss the limited Yori-yori, which is coated with chocolate, only for the Lantern Festival.
Hatoshi (deep-fried bread stuffed with shrimp or fish paste)

Hatoshi, deep-fried bread stuffed with the paste of shrimp or fish, is also a must-try gourmet in Nagasaki Lantern Festival. The crispy texture filled with savory shrimp or fish paste is a flavorful treat.
Butaman (pork buns)

Butaman (Pork Bun) is also an iconic street food of the festival. Taste its soft, fluffy dough and juicy, flavorful filling while walking around.
Xiao Long Bao (soup dumpling)

Xiao Long Bao is steamed dumplings filled with a mixture of minced meat and a savory soup. Its juiciness texture and flavorful broth inside is mouth-watering.