Osaka's main boulevard, Midosuji (御堂筋), lights up for about four kilometers from Umeda (梅田) to Namba (難波). In 2026 it runs every night from November 3 to December 31. Because it stays lit for nearly two months, you don't have to pin down a specific date.
There is one exception. The only evening you can step into the middle of the street and look straight up into the tunnel of light is November 23, during the lighting ceremony.
This guide covers the 2026 run (November 3 to December 31), lit hours, the illuminated stretch, and how to decide when and where to go, all drawn from the City of Osaka and Osaka Prefecture announcements.
The Midosuji run goes November 3 to December 31; for another huge illumination within day-trip reach, the Nabana no Sato illumination in Mie is one of Japan's biggest.
Midosuji Illumination runs November 3–December 31, 2026, lit nightly from around 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Viewing is free. The one evening you can walk down the middle of the street is the November 23 ceremony, 5 to 7 p.m.
When and where
Midosuji Illumination (November 3 to December 31, 2026) is the headline program of the Osaka Festival of the Lights 2026 (大阪・光の饗宴). Here are the basics.
Item | Details |
|---|---|
Dates | November 3 (Tue, holiday) – December 31 (Thu), 2026 |
Hours | Around 5:00 p. |
Stretch | Midosuji, Hanshin-mae to Namba Nishiguchi intersection (about 4 km) |
Theme | LINK: Light Moves the City |
Admission | Free (a few area programs charge entry) |
Organizer | Osaka Festival of the Lights Executive Committee (Osaka Prefecture and City) |
The hours are the same every night, New Year's Eve included. The 2026 announcements mention no special countdown or extended lighting on December 31.
What you'll see
The lights run along Midosuji from Hanshin-mae intersection in the north (the Umeda side) to Namba Nishiguchi intersection in the south (the Namba side), about four kilometers in all. The ginkgo trees glow the whole way, turning the avenue into a long tunnel of light.
Midosuji's ginkgo trees hold a Guinness World Record for the number of illuminated street trees on a single avenue (606 trees, recognized on January 9, 2015).
For 2026, the four-kilometer stretch is split into five zones, each evoking a decade from the 1940s to today. This edition looks ahead to the 90th anniversary of Midosuji's opening (May 2027).
At Kita-Mido (北御堂), an interactive digital artwork reacts as people pass, and Osaka City Hall's facade is lit up too.
November 23: the one evening the street opens to walkers
The lighting ceremony takes place on November 23 (Mon, holiday) from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., along Midosuji between the Yodoyabashi (淀屋橋) and Semba-chuo 3 intersections. This is a different day from the first night of lighting (November 3).
That stretch is the northern half of the route, around Yodoyabashi — not the Shinsaibashi or Namba side in the south. During the ceremony, part of it is opened to pedestrians, which the organizer calls a chance to enjoy the lights "from a special space you cannot normally walk through."
That window is the only time all season you're allowed off the sidewalk and into the middle of the avenue.
The detailed traffic arrangements (which lanes, exact times) are still to be announced. If you're aiming for this evening, check the official updates before you go.
Night markets: planned, dates not yet set
Along three zones of Midosuji, night market stalls (ナイトマルシェ) are planned for the November 3-December 31 run, each tied to the food and trends of a different era. As of early October 2026, though, their dates still haven't been announced.
So they won't be out every evening; we'll update this article once the dates are official.
Choosing when to go
First, here is what changes by day.
- Every night (Nov 3–Dec 31): lit from around 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.
- November 23, early evening (5–7 p.m.): a section from Yodoyabashi to Semba-chuo 3 opens to pedestrians — the one time to look up from the middle of the street
- Night markets: planned, but dates not yet announced
- New Year's Eve (Dec 31): same as usual, around 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Because the run lasts nearly two months, there's no "one night only" pressure like a fireworks show. The lights stay on until 1 a.m., so showing up after dinner still gives you plenty of time. For something more memorable, aim for the pedestrian opening on November 23.
The stretch is long, so it's more realistic to pick a section than to walk the whole thing. The Midosuji subway line runs right under the avenue, with stops from Umeda through Yodoyabashi, Honmachi (本町), Shinsaibashi (心斎橋), and Namba.
Walk one section, then hop on the subway when you've had enough.
Since the lights run until 1 a.m. every night from November 3 to December 31 along a four-kilometer avenue, staying near Midosuji makes late-night strolling easy.
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Admission and rain
Viewing from the Midosuji sidewalk costs nothing. Per the official FAQ, admission is charged only at a few programs held at other Festival of the Lights venues — the Midosuji lights themselves are free.
Rain usually doesn't stop the lights during the November 3-December 31 run. The official FAQ says they normally stay on, though a few programs may be called off. On a stormy evening, check the official site for the latest.
This article was translated from the original Japanese with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team. The Japanese version is authoritative.