Huis Ten Bosch (ハウステンボス), the European-style theme park in Nagasaki, is overhauling its famous winter illumination for the 2026-2027 season, which this year runs November 6 to February 25.
The light display, ranked Japan's No. 1 of its kind for 13 consecutive years, has had its first major overhaul in 16 years and is now called The Starlight Million (ザ・スターライト・ミリオン). The old name, Kingdom of Light (光の王国), has been retired.
If you have visited before and are wondering whether the event is gone, it isn't. This is a bigger, redesigned version of the same event.
Below are the dates, lighting hours, which admission pass to buy (the park calls its tickets "passports"), and how to get there, all from official sources.
Kingdom of Light has not ended. It has been renamed The Starlight Million for 2026-2027 and opens on November 6.
Dates and what is on
The Starlight Million runs from November 6, 2026 to February 25, 2027. That is nearly four months, so you can catch it anytime from the late-fall foliage season through the heart of winter.
The first stretch overlaps with a Christmas event, European Holy Christmas (ヨーロピアン・ホーリー・クリスマス), which ends earlier, on December 25. If you want the Christmas decorations as well, go by December 25.
Item | Details |
|---|---|
Event | The Starlight Million (formerly Kingdom of Light) |
Dates | November 6, 2026 – February 25, 2027 |
Christmas event | European Holy Christmas (November 6 – December 25) |
Venue | Huis Ten Bosch (Sasebo, Nagasaki) |
Lighting hours, from sunset to closing
The Starlight Million runs every evening from November 6 to February 25, but there is no fixed start time. The park says the lights come on after sunset, and because sunset shifts with the season, the start time moves with it.
For most of the season, sunset is around 5 p.m., falling just after 5 in late November and December and after 6 by late February.
Closing is usually around 9 p.m., extended to 10 p.m. on peak days. The lights stay on until about an hour after closing, so they run until roughly 10 p.m., or about 11 p.m. on those busy dates.
To catch the lights from the moment they come on, get inside before sunset. Opening and closing times shift by date, so check the official calendar once your date is set.
Passports and prices
Admission works as a passport that covers entry plus the park's attractions.
Pricing is dynamic: the figure on the official site is for the lowest-priced day, which is why every price is shown as "from." What you actually pay depends on the date, so it is worth comparing a few dates when you book.
If you are mainly there for the lights, the After 3 Passport (アフター3), with entry from 3 p.m., is the better-value option.
It costs less than a 1-Day Passport, and because winter sunsets are early, a 3 p.m. entry still gets you in before the lights come on.
Passport | Adult (18+) | Junior & high school | Elementary | Senior (65+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1-Day | from ¥7,600 | from ¥6,600 | from ¥5,000 | from ¥5,900 |
After 3 (enter from 3 p. | from ¥5,900 | from ¥5,100 | from ¥3,900 | from ¥4,700 |
For children ages 4 up to elementary school, prices start at ¥3,800 for a 1-Day and ¥3,000 for After 3. For longer stays there are also 1.5-Day (adult from ¥11,200) and 2-Day (adult from ¥13,400) passports.
Same-day tickets go on sale at the ticket window from 2:30 p.m., but you can also buy online in advance.
Check Huis Ten Bosch's Tickets
For the lights alone, the After 3 Passport (adult from ¥5,900) is the best value.
What to see
For its first renewal in 16 years, the event transforms the whole park into a "town where stars live," with countless points of light across windowsills, cobblestones, and tree-lined streets.
In the central Amsterdam City area, more than 100 star-shaped light installations line the walls and the streets below. The signature Light Waterfall has been rebuilt and is about 66 meters wide.
Other highlights include the Grand Chandelier Tree, made with roughly 9,000 crystals, and the Light Aurora Garden. A 500-meter promenade runs along the canal, with the lights reflecting off the water.
Huis Ten Bosch runs one of Japan's biggest winter displays. During the November 6 to February 25 season, it is worth comparing with other famous ones such as the Nabana no Sato illumination.
Getting there and parking
Huis Ten Bosch sits in southwestern Japan, and most travelers reach it via Fukuoka or Nagasaki Airport.
The nearest station is Huis Ten Bosch Station on the JR Omura Line, a 5-to-7-minute walk from the entrance gate. The station sits right by the park, so there is no transfer or shuttle.
From Fukuoka, the limited express Huis Ten Bosch travels directly from Hakata Station in about 1 hour 45 minutes.
From Nagasaki Airport it is about 60–70 minutes by bus or about 50 minutes by high-speed ferry. From Fukuoka Airport it is about 2 hours 5 minutes by highway bus (reserved seating).
By car, it is about 10 minutes from the Sasebo-Daito IC on the Nishi-Kyushu Expressway. Parking costs ¥1,500 per entry for a standard car, and you can pay by credit card, electronic money, or QR code. Older write-ups that say "¥1,000, cash only" are out of date.
Access | Time / cost |
|---|---|
Nearest station | Huis Ten Bosch Stn, JR Omura Line (5–7 min walk to the gate) |
From Hakata | Ltd. |
From Nagasaki Airport | Bus about 60–70 min / ferry about 50 min |
From Fukuoka Airport | Highway bus about 2 hr 5 min (reserved) |
By car | About 10 min from Sasebo-Daito IC; parking ¥1,500/entry |
Before you go
The park is large, and same-day re-entry is allowed. On your way out, get a stamp on the back of your hand at the exit gate, then show the stamp and your passport when you come back.
The re-entry cutoff is one hour before the park closes, so allow extra time if you step out for dinner.
If you drive out and back in, the parking fee applies again each time. If you plan to re-enter, it is easier to leave the car parked and stay inside.
Evenings here get cold from late autumn into deep winter, and you will be outdoors for hours, so dress warmly and bring a proper coat. If you are still planning what to pack, see our guide to what to wear in Japan in autumn.
If you're coming a long way, staying at an official on-site hotel (or the one connected to Huis Ten Bosch Station) lets you take your time with the lights and turn in without a long trip back.
Check hotel availability and rates near Huis Ten Bosch (Sasebo)
This article was translated from the original Japanese with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team. The Japanese version is authoritative.
