Highlights
- **Daily dragon dance (龍踊り/jaodori)** — a ~20 m dragon weaves through the crowd every day, alongside Chinese lion dance and mask-changing (変面) performances.
- **Emperor's Parade (皇帝パレード)** on **Sat 13 Feb & Sat 20 Feb 2027** — ~150 performers in Qing-dynasty costume process through the city.
- **Mazu Procession (媽祖行列)** on **Sun 7 Feb & Sun 14 Feb 2027** — the sea-goddess Mazu is carried in prayers for a safe voyage.
- **Megane-bashi water reflections** — yellow lanterns mirrored on the Nakashima River are the festival's top photo spot.
- **Giant zodiac lantern objects at Minato Park (湊公園)**, the main-object hub beside Shinchi Chinatown.
Background & story
The festival began in **1987** as the local Chinese community's Spring Festival celebration in **Shinchi Chinatown**, marking the Lunar New Year. In **1994** it expanded citywide and was renamed the "Nagasaki Lantern Festival," growing into a tourism pillar and now one of Nagasaki's signature winter events. It draws on Nagasaki's unique trading heritage — the Chinese quarter at Tojin-yashiki and the Dutch outpost at Dejima — that made the city Japan's window to the world.
Nagasaki Lantern Festival 2027 runs Friday 5 – Sunday 21 February 2027 (17 days) and is free to view. The official site has also fixed the big processions: the Emperor's Parade on Saturday 13 and Saturday 20 February, and the Mazu Procession on Sunday 7 and Sunday 14 February. About 15,000 Chinese lanterns light Shinchi Chinatown, Hamanomachi, Kanko-dori and the rest of central Nagasaki. Dates below are from the official festival page (checked 2026-10-14).
2027 dates at a glance
| What | 2027 date |
|---|---|
| Festival period | Fri 5 – Sun 21 Feb 2027 (17 days) |
| Mazu Procession (媽祖行列) | Sun 7 Feb & Sun 14 Feb 2027 |
| Emperor's Parade (皇帝パレード) | Sat 13 Feb & Sat 20 Feb 2027 |
| Dragon dance (龍踊り) | Every day of the festival |
- Good to know: since 2026 the festival has a fixed schedule — 17 days from the first Friday of February — so it no longer moves with the Lunar New Year date.
- Weekend planning: the processions fall on Sun 7, Sat 13, Sun 14 and Sat 20 Feb. If you can only come once, pick a Saturday for the Emperor's Parade and stay on for the lanterns after dark.
Lighting hours (2027 not yet announced)
The official page has not yet published the 2027 lighting hours or the parade start times and routes (as of 2026-10-14). The lanterns are at their best after dark; check the official programme for the exact hours before you go.
Where it happens
The festival is citywide, centred on Shinchi Chinatown, with major displays at:
- Minato Park — large lantern objects and the main stage events.
- Chuo Park — another core venue for performances.
- Meganebashi (Spectacles Bridge) — a popular photo spot, with lanterns mirrored in the river.
- Hamanomachi arcade — lanterns strung the length of the shopping street.
What to see
- ~15,000 lanterns and giant illuminated objects lighting every main street.
- Dragon dances, Chinese acrobatics and mask-changing (bian lian) on the stages.
- The Emperor's Parade (13 & 20 Feb) and the Mazu Procession (7 & 14 Feb) — the festival's costumed processions through the city. For what each parade looks like and the best photo spots, see our highlights & dragon dance guide; for the story behind the lanterns, see the origin and meaning of the festival.
Getting there & admission
- Admission: free (some seated/special events may be ticketed).
- Access: the heart of the festival is about 5 minutes from the Shinchi-Chukagai tram stop in central Nagasaki, easy to reach by tram from Nagasaki Station.
Plan your visit
February is peak season in Nagasaki, so book accommodation early. Go after dark, start at Meganebashi and Chinatown for photos, then work toward the stage events at Minato Park. Official info and the daily programme: at-nagasaki.jp (English: en.at-nagasaki.jp). If you're touring Japan's winter lights, see other winter festivals on the network.
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- About 5 min from the Shinchi-Chukagai tram stop in central Nagasaki. Open directions in Google Maps ↗
- Booking & entry
- Free to attend — details on the official page (button above).
- Language
- Mostly in Japanese — a translation app on your phone helps.
- Good for
- culture seekers, date night, art lovers
Good to know
Come after dark, when all ~15,000 lanterns are lit — the 2027 lighting hours are not announced yet (as of 2026-10-14), so check the official programme. Get around by **tram (Nagasaki Electric Tramway)**: use the **Shinchi Chinatown stop** for Chinatown and Minato Park, the **Kanko-dori stop** for the arcades, and the **Megane-bashi stop** for the river reflections — the flat single-ride fare accepts IC cards (as of July 2026). Note the **Confucius Shrine (孔子廟)** near Ishibashi stop (Line 5) is a separate paid attraction, not part of the free festival. For full route options and discount rail fares from Fukuoka see our **Nagasaki Lantern Festival access guide**; for a day-by-day plan of the parades see our **highlights & events guide**; and for the story behind the lanterns see our **history & origins guide**.
Frequently asked questions
- When is the Nagasaki Lantern Festival 2027?
- Friday 5 – Sunday 21 February 2027 — 17 days. The dates are on the official festival site (at-nagasaki.jp, checked 2026-10-14).
- Is the Nagasaki Lantern Festival free?
- Yes — viewing the lantern displays and parades on the streets is free.
- When are the Emperor's Parade and Mazu Procession?
- The Emperor's Parade is on Saturday, February 13 and Saturday, February 20, 2027; the Mazu Procession is on Sunday, February 7 and Sunday, February 14, 2027. Start times and routes have not been published yet (as of 2026-10-14).
- What time are the lanterns lit in 2027?
- The 2027 lighting hours have not been announced yet (as of 2026-10-14). The official programme at at-nagasaki.jp will list them; check it before you go.
- Is the dragon dance on every day?
- Yes — the official site lists the dragon dance (jaodori) as held every day of the festival. Daily times have not been published yet (as of 2026-10-14); check the official programme closer to the festival.
Getting there
Citywide — Shinchi Chinatown, Minato Park, Chuo Park, Meganebashi, Hamanomachi Arcade — Shinchimachi, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture