Festival of the Light Osaka 2024-2025 in Japan

The Festival of Lights in Osaka comprises two main events: the Midosuji Illuminations and the OSAKA Hikari-Renaissance. Taking place in Osaka City, Japan, the event is one of the most popular lights festivals everyone is waiting for. The intricate lights glow along the streets of the city, bringing the Christmas spirit in late November.

Midosuji Illumination (November 3–December 31, 2024)

The Midosuji Illuminations occupies Midosuji Avenue, one of the main streets of the city. While in fall, the ginko trees along the avenue boast golden foliage, they are decorated with bright colorful lights during wintertime. The illumination lights up the avenue from late November to early January. Running through the center of Osaka, Midosuhi features the 2,5-mile (4-km) street displays and once was included in the Guinness World Records. The illumination begins at 5 pm and lasts until 11 pm, except for December 31, when it's on until 1 am.

OSAKA Hikari-Renaissance (December 14–25, 2024)

The OSAKA Hikari-Renaissance is an art festival of light nestled around the Nakanoshima area. It highlights Japan’s Historic Cultural Properties, such as Central Public Hall, Nakanoshima Library, where a lot of the city's art and cultural output originates, and several historic buildings. The event features several light installations, including illumination at the Osaka City Hall, projection on the Central Public Hall, lights along Nakanoshima Street, the Naruko Tunnel of lanterns, and various art installations along the waterfront.

While the display is set to be on from December 14th to December 25th, some installations will be on from November 3rd until December 31st. The displays kick off at 5 pm and are on until 10-11 pm. The shows that are open until December 31st can be seen until 1 am.

Admission & Parking

While most exhibits are completely free and don't require an admission fee, some programs and installations might require a ticket. Midosuji Avenue has no free parking spots in the area, so it's best to consider paid parking lots, like Park-Zeus Namba, or use public transportation.