Tanabata Sky Lantern Festival 2026: See a Sky of Lights This Summer!

The Tanabata Sky Lantern Festival 2026, held in Saitama and Kyoto this July and August, features over a thousand glowing lanterns floating in the sky.

Written by

Kat

Travel writer based in Tokyo with a strong interest in art and Japan's traditional crafts.

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Tanabata Sky Lantern Festival 2026: In Kyoto and Saitama

The much anticipated Tanabata Sky Lantern Festival will be held in the summer of 2026 at two venues in Japan: Saitama (near Tokyo) and Kyoto.

This festival features the release of over a thousand stunning, glowing orange sky lanterns, in addition to other fun events inspired by Japanese culture.

The Sky Lantern Festival - A Hauntingly Beautiful Scene of Floating Lights

Drawing inspiration from other floating lantern celebrations, the first Sky Lantern Festival has been held in Japan since 2017 as an exciting way to celebrate the colorful Tanabata Festival, a popular summer event also known as the Star Festival.

Since then, many visitors have been mesmerized by the magical sight of countless floating orange lanterns lighting up the summer night.

These events are full-scale summer festivals and include fairs offering food as well as live performances.

Tanabata Sky Lantern 2026: Event Details

The Tanabata Sky Lantern Festival 2026 will be held at two separate venues in Saitama and Kyoto:

Saitama Tanabata Sky Lantern Festival 2026

Venue: Saitama Stadium 2002 Park
Address: Google Map
Schedule: July 17 - 23, 2026

The Saitama Stadium 2002 Park can be accessed in about 15 minutes on foot from Urawa Misono Station, which can be reached in less than an hour by train from Tokyo Station.

Kyoto Tanabata Sky Lantern Festival 2026

Venue: Kyoto Prefectural Kizugawa Sports Park
Address: Kyoto, Joyo, Tono, Kitazumi 14-8 Google Map
Schedule: August 7 - 16, 2026

The nearest station to the Kyoto venue is Nagaike Station, which can be reached in about 40 minutes by direct JR train from Kyoto Station.

Please check the official website for the latest updates: https://snc-ts.com/ (*English page available)

Book Shinkansen tickets: Tokyo to Kyoto

Tickets to the Tanabata Sky Lantern Festival 2026

The ticket price slightly varies by venue.

Saitama Tickets
Adults (13 years of age and up): 5,400 yen (*Flexible tickets that allow you to change the date of your visit: 6,900 yen)
Children (6 - 12 years): 2,100 yen (*Flexible tickets that allow you to change the date of your visit: 3,000 yen)

Kyoto Tickets
Adults (13 years of age and up): 5,200 yen (*Flexible tickets that allow you to change the date of your visit: 6,700 yen)
Children (6 - 12 years): 2,000 yen (*Flexible tickets that allow you to change the date of your visit: 2,900 yen)

Each ticket includes one lantern.

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Written by Kat
Source: @Press

Written by

Kat

Travel writer based in Tokyo with a strong interest in art and Japan's traditional crafts.

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