Nagasaki Lantern Festival 2027 Official Dates: Feb 5–21
Nagasaki Lantern Festival 2027's official dates: Feb 5–21 (17 days), free to view. ~15,000 red Chinese lanterns and giant zodiac lantern objects light central Nagasaki nightly from 17:00–22:00, with a daily dragon dance and parades.
When · Where
- When
- 2027/02/05 17:00 – 2027/02/21
- Where
- Citywide — Shinchi Chinatown, Minato Park, Chuo Park, Meganebashi, Hamanomachi Arcade（Shinchimachi, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture）
- City
- Across Japan
- Getting there
- About 5 min from the Shinchi-Chukagai tram stop in central Nagasaki.
- Price
- Free
- Organizer
- Nagasaki Lantern Festival Promotion Committee / Nagasaki City
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
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 Japan's largest event of its kind. 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.
Good to know
Come between **17:00 and 22:00**, when all ~15,000 lanterns are lit (Shinchi Chinatown and Hamanomachi glow from noon). 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?
- February 5–21, 2027 — 17 days. The dates are officially confirmed (announced May 2026).
- 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.