🕓 2026/2/2
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Highlights of the Nagasaki Lantern FestivalDetailed explanation
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table of contents
- What is Nagasaki Lantern Festival?
- Highlights of Nagasaki Lantern Festival
- History and origin of the Nagasaki Lantern Festival
Introduction
Every winter, the Nagasaki Lantern Festival transforms the city into a glowing wonderland of roughly 15,000 vibrant lanterns. Born from the Chinese New Year celebrations of Nagasaki’s historic Chinatown, the event has grown into one of Japan’s premier winter festivals. In 2026, the festival runs for 15 days from February 17 to March 3, featuring a brand-new floating lantern display on Nagasaki Harbor and a towering dragon sculpture enhanced with projection mapping. This guide covers the festival’s highlights, rich history, and the best ways to experience the 2026 edition.
In this article, we will provide a detailed overview of the Nagasaki Lantern Festival, highlights, history and origin, and the latest information for 2026. Please read until the end, as it contains information that will be helpful when visiting.
1. What is Nagasaki Lantern Festival?
The Nagasaki Lantern Festival is an annual winter tradition held in Nagasaki City, and began as an event to celebrate the Chinese New Year. The Spring Festival was originally held by the people of Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown to promote the city, but in 1994 it expanded to become the Nagasaki Lantern Festival, and today it has become a major event that colors Nagasaki’s winter.
The 2026 festival will be held for 15 days from January 29th (Wednesday) to February 12th (Wednesday), and the city center will be magically decorated with approximately 15,000 lanterns and various objects.
Various events will also be held during the period. Of particular note is the “Emperor Parade,” which is a reenactment of the Qing Dynasty during the New Year when the emperor and empress would go out into town to celebrate with the people. Approximately 150 people in total will wear gorgeous Chinese costumes and put on a spectacular parade. In addition, the “Mazu procession” that was actually held during the Edo period will be recreated, and a procession to worship Mazu, who is said to be the god of safe navigation, will be paraded through the city.
At the 2026 festival, a collaboration project with the popular anime “Yakusha no Hitorigoto” will be held, and there will be a stamp rally, sales of collaboration goods, and an exhibition of lanterns with character motifs.
longThe Saki Lantern Festival is a unique event that combines Nagasaki’s history and culture with Chinese tradition, and is visited by many tourists every year. You can fully enjoy winter in Nagasaki through the fantastic light of lanterns and various events.
2. Highlights of Nagasaki Lantern Festival
The Nagasaki Lantern Festival is a large-scale event that decorates Nagasaki City with approximately 15,000 lanterns every winter. In 2026, it will be held from January 29th (Wednesday) to February 12th (Wednesday), and a variety of attractions will be held throughout the city.
[Main venues and highlights]
・Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown venue (Minato Park):
Minato Park is the main venue for the Nagasaki Lantern Festival, and each year the main objects are installed according to a theme. Lanterns of various sizes decorate the park, inviting visitors to a fantastical world. The lighting ceremony on the first day and various stage events will be held here, allowing you to enjoy the highlights of the festival.
・Central Park venue:
The Central Park venue is a popular spot for families, with many colorful animal-themed objects on display. It has mechanisms and designs that children will enjoy, and is also a perfect spot for commemorative photos. In addition, stage events are held every day, and you can enjoy a variety of performances in a lively atmosphere.
・Shinchi Chinatown:
Shinchi Chinatown has an exotic landscape with countless lanterns hanging overhead. The sight of red and golden lanterns is a sight to behold, immersing visitors in the atmosphere of Chinese New Year. You can enjoy gourmet food and shopping unique to Chinatown, and it is crowded with people day and night.
・Dozagawa:
Along the Doza River, pink lanterns are beautifully decorated, and the light reflected on the river creates a magical atmosphere. The experience of strolling along the river and being surrounded by soft pink light provides a romantic moment that is different from other venues.
・Nakashimagawa Park (around Meganebashi):
Nakashimagawa Park is located near Megane Bridge, a tourist attraction that represents Nagasaki City, and a fantastic sight spreads out during the Lantern Festival. Yellow lanterns are the main decorations at this venue. These lanterns are reflected in the river surface, creating a fantastic scenery. Especially at night, the beautiful scenery fascinates visitors, and many tourists can be seen with cameras in hand.
[ Featured events ]
・Emperor Parade:
This is a spectacular parade that recreates the New Year’s Day parade of the Qing Dynasty, when the emperor and empress would go out into town and celebrate the new year with the people. A total of about 100 people, including the flag corps, parade through the city wearing luxurious Chinese costumes, centering on the emperor and empress’s palanquins. This parade is one of the main events of the Nagasaki Lantern Festival and is loved by many tourists. Instead, a talk show featuring the roles of the Emperor and Empress will be held at Minato Park.
・Mazu procession:
This is a reenactment of the procession that took place during the Edo period, when the crew of a Chinese ship that entered Nagasaki port enshrined Mazu, the god of safe navigation, in the Mazu Hall of the Tang Temple. Participants wearing traditional costumes parade through the city, giving you a sense of the historical atmosphere.
・Strange face show:
A traditional performing art from China’s Sichuan province, “Changing Mask” is a unique performance that involves changing masks in an instant. It is performed every day during the period at the Confucius Shrine in Nagasaki, and its mysterious techniques captivate the audience. This technological device is considered a state secret in China, and its mystique has attracted many people.
Furthermore, it has been decided that the 2026 festival will feature a collaboration with the popular anime “Yakusha no Hitoigoto”, and there will be a stamp rally, sales of collaboration goods, and a display of lanterns with character motifs.
3. History and origin of the Nagasaki Lantern Festival
The Nagasaki Lantern Festival is known as a major winter event in Nagasaki City. We will introduce its history and origin in detail by listing major events for each Western calendar.
1. 1986: Construction of Pailou and the start of the “Lantern Festival” project
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In 1986, China Gate (Pai Tower) was completed in Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown. The construction of this gate was made possible by the strong motivation of Mr. Teruo Hayashi, the owner of Kai-Rakuen (the first chairman of the Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown Shopping District Promotion Association). From the experience of being asked by a tourist, “Which way is Chinatown?”, he keenly realized the need for a gate that would become a symbol of Chinatown, and promoted its construction.
Taking the opportunity of the completion of Zhonghua Gate, the Chinatown Promotion Association planned to hold a “Lantern Festival” that combines the Spring Festival (Lunar New Year) and the Lantern Festival as a tourism promotion measure.
2. 1987: First “Lantern Festival” held
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In 1987, Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown held its first Spring Festival to commemorate the first anniversary of the completion of China Gate. Approximately 300 vinyl lanterns were displayed at this event, and a variety of simple yet colorful events were held, including a Chinese lion dance, a Champon eating contest, taking pictures with a young lady in a Chinese costume, and providing free Chinese porridge.
These efforts were well received by tourists, and have since become established as an annual event.
3. 1994: Official launch as Nagasaki Lantern Festival
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In 1994, as part of Nagasaki City’s tourism strategy, the Spring Festival was renamed the Nagasaki Lantern Festival and became an official tourism event. This year’s theme was “Exotic CHINA that lives in NAGASAKI,” and Shinchi Chinatown, Minato Park, and Hamacho Arcade were decorated with red Chinese lanterns, and a variety of events were held.
The festival was particularly lively with a parade of children dressed in Chinese costumes, a Chinese lion dance, and a dragon dance.
4. 2008: Recorded record number of customers
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The 15th Nagasaki Lantern Festival was held in 2008 for 15 days from February 7th to February 21st. The number of visitors this year reached approximately 910,000, and the economic ripple effect is reported to be approximately 9.3 billion yen.
Although these numbers represent a slight decrease compared to the previous year’s approximately 920,000 visitors and economic ripple effect of approximately 9 billion yen, they still demonstrate the scale and influence of the festival.
5. 2018: More success
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At the 2018 Nagasaki Lantern Festival, Neru Nagahama, a native of Nagasaki and a member of Keyakizaka46 at the time, participated in the Emperor Parade held on February 24th as the Empress.
This special appearance attracted a lot of attention, and the number of visitors during the period reached a record high of 1.06 million people. This large-scale visitor attraction brought great economic benefits to tourism and related industries in Nagasaki City.
What’s New in 2026
Starting in 2026, the Nagasaki Lantern Festival has adopted a fixed schedule: 18 days beginning on the first Friday of February. This year, the festival runs from Friday, February 6 to Monday, February 23 (a national holiday). Around 15,000 lanterns illuminate the city’s Shinchi Chinatown, Hamanomachi, Kanko-dori, and other venues each evening.
Highlights include the Emperor Parade (scheduled for February 14 and 21), the Mazu Procession, Chinese acrobatics, and the mesmerizing lantern displays along the Nakashima River. Admission to all festival venues is free. Visitors can also enjoy a wide variety of Chinese-inspired street food at the Shinchi Chinatown venue.
Finally
The Nagasaki Lantern Festival is a one-of-a-kind winter celebration where Chinese Spring Festival traditions blend seamlessly with Nagasaki’s cosmopolitan heritage. Beneath the glow of 15,000 lanterns, the Emperor Parade marches through illuminated streets, the Mazu Procession fills the air with reverence, and the mesmerizing Bian Lian face-changing performances captivate audiences of all ages — it feels like stepping into another world entirely. With floating harbor lanterns and a dramatic new dragon centerpiece joining the lineup in 2026, this year’s festival promises to be more spectacular than ever. Let the radiant lantern light guide you through a magical winter evening that only Nagasaki can offer.
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