When is OSAKA Hikari Renaissance 2026?

Friday 11 December to Friday 25 December 2026 (15 nights). The Osaka City Hall façade illumination and the Nakanoshima Illumination Street are lit earlier and longer: 3 November to 31 December, every night 17:00–25:00 (organiser and City of Osaka, 24 Sep 2026; checked 2026-10-14).

What time is the projection mapping on the Central Public Hall?

17:30 to 21:30, with a show of about 10 minutes every 12 minutes (planned). The last show starts at 21:20. It is on the east front of Osaka City Central Public Hall. In 2025 it ran 17:00–21:00, so 2026 is 30 minutes later.

Yes. The organiser states that the projection mapping is free to watch and gives no ticket or booking information. Food and goods at the markets are paid for at each stall.

Does it go ahead in rain?

The projection mapping goes ahead in rain. The 2026 materials do not say what happens to the other parts in bad weather, so check the official site on the day.

Which station is nearest?

The organiser lists Yodoyabashi and Kitahama (Osaka Metro and Keihan) and Naniwabashi and Oebashi (Keihan). The food market and the BIG Snowman are around Naniwabashi Station.

OSAKA Hikari Renaissance 2026: Dec 11–25, Mapping Times & Free Entry

Highlights

Main period Fri 11 – Fri 25 December 2026, 15 nights (2025: 14–25 December, 12 nights)
Central Public Hall projection mapping: 17:30–21:30, about 10 min every 12 min (planned), last show 21:20, free, goes ahead in rain
2026 theme: "Osaka, a Festive Night of Light" (大阪、光の祝夜祭)
City Hall façade and Nakanoshima Illumination Street lit 3 Nov – 31 Dec, 17:00–25:00
Food market 16:00–22:00 by Naniwabashi Station; Concert of Light at 17:30, 18:30, 19:30 and 20:30 by City Hall's main entrance
Christmas handmade market, riverside illumination, BIG Snowman and an Osaka University of Arts student installation, all 11–25 December

Background & story

OSAKA Hikari Renaissance is a festival of light on the waterfront of Nakanoshima, the island at the heart of Osaka, the "city of water". It began in 2003 (organiser's materials). It is now one of the two core programmes of the Festival of the Lights in Osaka, alongside Midosuji Illumination; 2026 is the festival's 14th year (City of Osaka).

OSAKA Hikari Renaissance 2026 runs for 15 nights, Friday 11 December to Friday 25 December 2026, around Osaka City Hall and Nakanoshima Park. Its centrepiece, the projection mapping on Osaka City Central Public Hall, plays from 17:30 to 21:30 (a show of about 10 minutes every 12 minutes, last show at 21:20). It is free to watch and goes ahead in rain. Two parts start earlier: the illuminated façade of Osaka City Hall and the Nakanoshima Illumination Street are lit every night from 3 November to 31 December, 17:00–25:00 (1 a.m.).

These dates and times come from the organiser, the Festival of the Lights in OSAKA Executive Committee, which published the 2026 core programme on 24 September 2026, and from the City of Osaka press release the same day — the two match. The official name is written "OSAKA Hikari-Renaissance".

Checked 2026-10-14 · Official: Festival of the Lights in Osaka (official site) · 2026 core programme announcement (organiser, Japanese) · City of Osaka press release, 24 Sep 2026 (Japanese)

OSAKA Hikari Renaissance 2026: dates, times and places

The 2026 edition has nine parts. The key thing to know is that it runs on two calendars: two light-ups start on 3 November, and everything else happens only between 11 and 25 December.

Part	Dates	Hours	Where
Osaka City Hall façade illumination	3 Nov (Tue, holiday) – 31 Dec (Thu)	17:00–25:00	Front of Osaka City Hall
Nakanoshima Illumination Street	3 Nov – 31 Dec	17:00–25:00	Miotsukushi Promenade
Osaka City Central Public Hall projection mapping	11 Dec (Fri) – 25 Dec (Fri)	17:30–21:30 (last show 21:20)	East front of the Central Public Hall
Hikari no Marché (food market)	11–25 Dec	16:00–22:00	Around Naniwabashi Station
Concert of Light	11–25 Dec	17:30, 18:30, 19:30, 20:30	In front of the main entrance, Osaka City Hall (ground floor)
Christmas Handmade Marché	11–25 Dec	17:00–22:00	Riverside by the Water Theatre (Suijo Gekijo)
Riverside Illumination	11–25 Dec	17:00–22:00	Riverside by the Water Theatre
BIG Snowman in Nakanoshima (with UMEDA MEETS HEART 2026)	11–25 Dec	17:00–22:00	Around Naniwabashi Station
Osaka University of Arts student work ("OSAKA Baiking")	11–25 Dec	17:00–21:30 (25 Dec until 20:00)	Nakanoshima Park, west of the Rose Garden

Sources: organiser's 2026 programme outline (24 Sep 2026) and City of Osaka press release (24 Sep 2026), checked 2026-10-14. The organiser notes that the designs shown are planned images and the real thing may differ.

What time is the projection mapping?

From 17:30 to 21:30, with a show of about 10 minutes every 12 minutes (planned); the last show starts at 21:20. It is projected onto the east front of Osaka City Central Public Hall (1-1-27 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku). Viewing is free and it runs in rain.

The 2026 theme is "Osaka, a Festive Night of Light" (大阪、光の祝夜祭). The organiser describes jewel-like glittering windows, falling snow and stars, and Santa Claus racing across the night sky, with the hall changing its face over about seven minutes.

Because shows repeat every 12 minutes, you never need to wait long — if you arrive mid-show, stay for the next one to see it from the start. Miss the 21:20 show and you have missed it for the night.

What you can see in November, and what only runs 11–25 December

3 November – 31 December (59 nights): the Osaka City Hall façade, a 3D mapping effect made with LEDs, and the Nakanoshima Illumination Street, a tunnel of light along about 150 m of zelkova trees on the Miotsukushi Promenade. Every night 17:00–25:00.
11–25 December only (15 nights): the Central Public Hall projection mapping, the food market, the Concert of Light, the Christmas handmade market, the riverside illumination, the BIG Snowman and the Osaka University of Arts student installation.

If you visit in November or after 25 December, you will see only the façade and the tree-lined street. For the projection mapping and the markets, go between 11 and 25 December, after 17:30.

What changed from 2025

The 2025 figures below are the 2025 edition as shown on the festival's English page (checked 2026-10-14).

	2026	2025 (last year)
Main period	11–25 Dec (15 nights)	14–25 Dec (12 nights)
Projection mapping hours	17:30–21:30, last show 21:20	17:00–21:00, last show 21:00
Show interval	About 10 min every 12 min (planned)	About 10 min every 12 min
Concert of Light	In front of Osaka City Hall's main entrance	Nakanoshima Park, east of the Rose Garden
BIG Snowman	Around Naniwabashi Station	Nakanoshima Park, east of the Rose Garden
Food market	16:00–22:00, around Naniwabashi Station	16:00–22:00, around Naniwabashi Station

The main period is three nights longer, and the projection mapping starts and ends 30 minutes later than in 2025. If you remember last year's 17:00 start, you would be waiting half an hour.

Getting there: nearest stations

The venue stretches from Osaka City Hall (1-3-20 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku) past the Central Public Hall to Nakanoshima Park. The organiser lists four nearest stations:

Yodoyabashi (Osaka Metro and Keihan)
Kitahama (Osaka Metro and Keihan)
Naniwabashi (Keihan) — the food market and the BIG Snowman are around this station
Oebashi (Keihan)

The organiser describes the tree-lined Illumination Street as a tunnel of light that leads visitors to the main venue, so a natural order is: City Hall façade, then the Illumination Street, then the Central Public Hall. Walking times from each station and any road closures are not published, so we do not give them here (as of 2026-10-14).

How it relates to Midosuji Illumination

OSAKA Hikari Renaissance is one of the two core programmes of the Festival of the Lights in Osaka 2026, which runs from 3 November 2026 to 31 January 2027. The other, Midosuji Illumination 2026 (Midosuji avenue from Umeda to Namba, 3 November – 31 December, about 17:00–25:00), is a separate programme in a different place. The joint lighting ceremony is on Monday 23 November (a holiday), 17:00–19:00, on Midosuji between the Yodoyabashi and Senba-Chuo 3 intersections.

Yodoyabashi sits where Midosuji meets Nakanoshima, so between 11 and 25 December you can walk the avenue's lights and then continue onto Nakanoshima for the projection mapping.

Before you go

Cost: the organiser states that the projection mapping is free to watch. Food and goods at the markets are paid for at each stall.
Rain: the projection mapping goes ahead in rain. The 2026 materials say nothing about rain for the other parts.
Changes: the organisers say the programme may change after coordination with the relevant bodies. Check the official site before you go.
Background: the light tunnel of the Nakanoshima Illumination Street has welcomed visitors since OSAKA Hikari Renaissance began in 2003 (organiser's materials). 2026 is the 14th year of the wider Festival of the Lights (City of Osaka).

For where to eat and drink after Nakanoshima, see Osaka After Dark: Nightlife & Street Food.

Written 2026-10-14 from the official announcements of 26 May 2026 (dates) and 24 September 2026 (programme details).

Good to know for visitors

Getting there: Nearest stations listed by the organiser: Yodoyabashi and Kitahama (Osaka Metro and Keihan), Naniwabashi and Oebashi (Keihan) (checked 2026-10-14). The food market and BIG Snowman are around Naniwabashi Station. Walking times and road closures are not published.
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: date night, art lovers, night owls

Good to know

The projection mapping and markets run only 11–25 December; in November or after 25 December you will see only the City Hall façade and the tree-lined Illumination Street (17:00–25:00). The mapping starts at 17:30 this year, 30 minutes later than 2025, and the last show is at 21:20. Shows repeat every 12 minutes, so if you arrive mid-show, wait for the next. Nearest stations: Yodoyabashi, Kitahama, Naniwabashi and Oebashi. The organiser says details may change, so check the official site before you go (checked 2026-10-14).

Frequently asked questions

When is OSAKA Hikari Renaissance 2026?: Friday 11 December to Friday 25 December 2026 (15 nights). The Osaka City Hall façade illumination and the Nakanoshima Illumination Street are lit earlier and longer: 3 November to 31 December, every night 17:00–25:00 (organiser and City of Osaka, 24 Sep 2026; checked 2026-10-14).
What time is the projection mapping on the Central Public Hall?: 17:30 to 21:30, with a show of about 10 minutes every 12 minutes (planned). The last show starts at 21:20. It is on the east front of Osaka City Central Public Hall. In 2025 it ran 17:00–21:00, so 2026 is 30 minutes later.
Is it free?: Yes. The organiser states that the projection mapping is free to watch and gives no ticket or booking information. Food and goods at the markets are paid for at each stall.
Does it go ahead in rain?: The projection mapping goes ahead in rain. The 2026 materials do not say what happens to the other parts in bad weather, so check the official site on the day.
Which station is nearest?: The organiser lists Yodoyabashi and Kitahama (Osaka Metro and Keihan) and Naniwabashi and Oebashi (Keihan). The food market and the BIG Snowman are around Naniwabashi Station.