7 Best Places to See Winter Illuminations in Osaka 2023

Osaka Festival of the Lights 2023 is one of Osaka’s top annual winter light festivals. A staple of Osaka’s winter scenes, it hosts festivities around the City of Osaka and other locations across Osaka Prefecture.
Each year, Midosuji Illumination, one of the festival’s two core programs, turns Osaka’s main street into a festive decoration of magical colors. Extending 4 km through the city between Osaka Metro’s Umeda and Namba Stations, Midosuji Illumination is grand in scale and perfect for Instagram.

[Dates]November 3 (Friday/Holiday) – December 31 (Sunday), 2023
[Light Up]Around 5 pm – 11 pm (until 1am the next day on Sunday, December 31)

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Midosuji Illumination

Osaka Hikari Renaissance is the other core program of the Osaka Festival of the Lights. It is an illumination art event in Nakanoshima’s waterfront in a city known as an Aquapolis—city of water. A projection will be mapped onto the exterior brick walls of the historic Osaka City Central Public Hall again this year. Here’re a few highlights of the event:

●Nakanoshima Illumination Street

Japanese zelkova trees lining the Miotsukushi Promenade (about 150 meters long) will be illuminated in blue and white, creating a dreamy space perfect for the holidays.

[Dates]November 3 (Friday/Holiday) – December 31 (Sunday), 2023
[Hours]5 pm – 11 pm (until 1am the next day on Sunday, December 31)

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Nakanoshima Illumination Street

●Osaka City Central Public Hall Wall Projection Mapping

With its 100+ years of proud history as a center of culture, arts, and science, Osaka City Central Public Hall is the symbol of Osaka’s Nakanoshima area. As part of the festival’s projection mapping art, the eastern wall of the Hall will be lit up with a stunning light display using cutting edge technologies again this year. The beautiful art of light represents the ever evolving Aquapolis of Osaka.

[Dates]December 14 (Thursday) – December 25 (Monday), 2023
[Hours]5 pm – 9 pm
※Free admission　※Rain or shine

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Osaka City Central Public Hall Wall Projection Mapping

●Marche of Light

At the Marche of Light held in Nakanoshima Park, visitors can enjoy unique gourmet foods served at food trucks as you enjoy the magnificent light shows♪

[Dates]December 14 (Thursday) – December 25 (Monday), 2023
[Hours]4 pm – 10 pm (planned)

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Marche of Light

Rubber Duck & Nakanoshima Water Fantasia 2023 is the main program at Nakanoshima West Winter Story 2023. The magical show of sound and light produced with the iconic traveling Rubber Duck by a Dutch artist, Florentijn Hofman, and the Nakanoshima Water Fantasia, a 10 meter high water fountain using the water from Dojimagawa River brings joy and happiness to all people present♪

[Dates]December 14 (Thursday) – December 25 (Monday), 2023
[Hours]Rubber Duck Light Up: 5 pm to 10 pm
Nakanoshima Water Fantasia: 5 pm and 9 pm, every 15 minutes for about 5 minutes each
※Event may be cancelled or suspended in the event of stormy weather or strong winds.

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Rubber Duck & Nakanoshima Water Fantasia, the Main Program at Nakanoshima West Winter Story 2023

Christmas at Umeda Sky Building this year features an LED mapping tree, one of the largest in Japan. The show of sound and light sends out a message of dreams and hope for the future. Come check out the extraordinary fantasy created with sophisticated, brilliant LED mapping and combine it with visits to the Floating Garden Observatory to make a perfect, romantic date.

[Dates]December 1 (Friday) – December 25 (Monday), 2023
[Hours]5 pm – 10 pm (planned)

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UMEDA SKY BUILDING Christmas 2023～Sound and Light’s Rainbow Fantasia～ | Umeda Sky Building

Walk from one illumination to another in Namba Hikaritabi tour, the winter light program in Osaka’s Minami area. Waterfall of Light at Namba Parks expands over the 9th floor down to the 2nd floor of this large shopping mall. The 18 meter long waterfall art sparkles in blue impressively and the view of it from nearby hotels and buildings is one of a kind!
A total of 7 illumination spots in the Minami area and the Osaka Festival of the Lights will be highlighted at the all-new Namba Hiroba, a 6,000 square meter pedestrian only plaza scheduled to open in front of Namba Station on November 23!

[Dates] November 10 (Friday), 2023 – February 18 (Sunday), 2024

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Glitter, Guru Guru, Illumination Tour | Osaka Minami Hikari Masse 2023

Having celebrated its 10th anniversary in April, the concept for its famous Christmas illumination at Grand Front Osaka in this special year is “Joyful Winter”, an illumination that puts a smile on everyone’s face.

The “Joyful-Go-Round Tree”, a merry-go-round themed Christmas tree will stand 12 meter tall in the Knowledge Plaza located on the 1st floor of the North Building. The merry-go-round in the center of the tree rotates cheerfully as the fantastic and briliant light show unfolds♪
In addition, about 230,000 LED lights illuminate the Umekita Square in champaign gold.

●Joyful-Go-Round Tree, the Main Christmas Tree

[Dates] November 9 (Thursday) – December 25 (Monday), 2023
[Light Shows]
Weekdays 4 pm – midnight, Saturdays/Sundays/Holidays 3 pm – midnight
Shows begin every 15 minutes on the hour (Last show at 11:45 pm)

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GRAND WISH CHRISTMAS 2023～Joyful Winter～

●“Champagne Gold Illumination”

[Dates] November 9 (Thursday), 2023 – February 29 (Thursday), 2024
[Light Up]5 pm – midnight

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“Champagne Gold Illumination”

Ten-shiba (Tennoji Park entrance area) is enveloped in beautiful lights again this year. Trees and buildings in the area are all decorated with bright illuminations, creating an area great for families. It’s quite a treat to relax at one of the restaurants and cafés in the surrounding area as you enjoy the sparkling illuminations.

[Dates] November 3 (Friday/Holiday), 2023 – January 31 (Wednesday), 2024
[Light Up]5 pm – midnight

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Welcoming Abeno/Tennoji Winter Present 2023