When is the Hakata Old Town Light-Up Walk 2026?

It runs from Saturday, October 31 to Tuesday, November 3, 2026. November 3 is a public holiday.

What time do the lights turn on, and when is last admission?

Lights start at 17:30 in all areas. Last admission is 20:45 in Gokusho and Reisen, and 21:15 in Gofukumachi.

Can you see the Fukuoka Great Buddha at night during the event?

Yes. Tochoji opens the Great Buddha for special evening visits. It's in Gokusho, so last admission is 20:45.

How much are tickets for the Hakata Light-Up Walk?

The announcement doesn't list prices or purchase conditions. Check the official event website for ticket details.

Is the Hakata Light-Up Walk canceled if it rains?

No. The event goes ahead in rain, but severe weather could cancel it, so check for updates before heading out.

Hakata Old Town Light-Up Walk: Hours and Temple Highlights

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Key takeawaysThe Hakata Old Town Light-Up Walk runs October 31 to November 3, 2026, lighting up 14 temples, shrines and other spots across three areas of Fukuoka’s Hakata Ward. The highlight is special evening access to the Fukuoka Great Buddha at Tochoji Temple, set in a star-themed light-and-sound display. Lights come on at 17:30, with last admission at 20:45 in Gokusho and Reisen and 21:15 in Gofukumachi.

Hakata’s historic temples and streets will become an evening light trail from October 31 to November 3, 2026. The Hakata Old Town Light-Up Walk (博多旧市街ライトアップウォーク2026) covers 14 temples, shrines and other spots across three areas of Fukuoka’s Hakata Ward.

A highlight is special nighttime access to the Fukuoka Great Buddha at Tochoji Temple, where light and sound will create a star-filled setting. Before planning your route, note that the areas have different closing times—and last admission is earlier than lights-out.

Hakata Old Town Light-Up Walk poster featuring a pink-lit temple roof beneath a starry sky — Image: Iwasaki Electric Co., Ltd., via its PR TIMES press release.

Check the official event website for tickets and venue details.

Dates, venues and admission

The walk began in 2006 as a way to bring people closer to the area’s historic architecture and gardens through illumination. This edition takes a stars-and-constellations theme, with lighting designer Miki Matsushita overseeing the displays and 18 lighting partner companies contributing.

Dates	Saturday, October 31–Tuesday, November 3, 2026. November 3 is a public holiday.
Venues	14 temples, shrines and other spots across the Gokusho, Reisen and Gofukumachi areas
Address	Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Check the official website for individual venue addresses.
Organizer	Hakata Light-Up Walk Executive Committee (博多ライトアップウォーク実行委員会)
Tickets	See the official event website. Ticket prices and purchase conditions are not specified in the announcement.
Weather	Goes ahead in rain; cancellation is possible in severe weather.

Lighting hours by area

All three areas start lighting up at 17:30. Gofukumachi stays open later, so check which area each stop belongs to when arranging your evening.

Area	Lights on	Last admission
Gokusho and Reisen	17:30–21:00	20:45
Gofukumachi	17:30–21:30	21:15

Tochoji is in the Gokusho area. Use the 20:45 last-admission time when planning that stop, rather than the later Gofukumachi schedule.

What to see at Tochoji

Large seated wooden Buddha inside a temple hall, surrounded by flowers and lighting — Image: Iwasaki Electric Co., Ltd., via its PR TIMES press release.

At Tochoji Temple (東長寺), the Fukuoka Great Buddha (福岡大仏) will be specially opened for evening visits. It is one of Japan’s largest seated wooden Buddha statues.

Iwasaki Electric is designing the illumination for both the Great Buddha and the temple’s treasure hall. The displays combine light and sound to evoke moving stars and the expanse of space, using LED floodlights from Iwasaki Electric and Stanley Electric.

Seated Buddha illuminated in blue and pink inside the temple hall — Image: Iwasaki Electric Co., Ltd., via its PR TIMES press release.

This makes Tochoji a useful starting point for deciding whether the event suits your interests: the draw is an illuminated historic setting with a light-and-sound presentation. For the lighting concept, see Iwasaki Electric’s announcement about its Tochoji displays.

Before you set out

Confirm ticket arrangements. The announcement does not state prices, purchase conditions or which venues a ticket covers. Check these before choosing your stops.
Look up each venue’s access details. The announcement identifies the three areas but does not provide street addresses, station exits or walking times.
Check weather-related updates. Ordinary rain does not automatically cancel the event, but severe weather may affect it.
Plan around last admission. Arriving before lights-out is not enough if admission has already closed.

If you are arranging a wider Kyushu trip, our guide to JAL’s Kyushu flight-and-hotel promotion is a separate planning reference; check its booking and travel dates before relying on it. For phone charging while out, the d VALUE PASS and ChargeSPOT guide explains that service, though rental availability at the event venues is not confirmed here.

Looking for other exhibition outings as well? See our Ghibli Park exhibition guide for Osaka, Yokosuka and Kyoto for a separate set of destinations and dates.

Final check: consult the official Hakata Light-Up Walk website for ticket information, individual venues and any operational updates before leaving.

Source: Iwasaki Electric’s press release, published October 29, 2026.