Nabana no Sato, the flower park at Nagashima Resort in Mie Prefecture, switches on its winter display on October 17, 2026, and keeps it running all the way to May 31, 2027. It is one of Japan's largest illumination events, known for a huge water display and a long tunnel of light, and it sits about 35 minutes from Nagoya by train and bus.
This guide walks through the 2026-2027 season: what you will see, ticket prices by date, how the hours work, and how to reach the park from Nagoya or Osaka. All dates and prices below are from the park's official announcements.
Admission includes a ¥1,000 voucher you can spend inside the park. Convenience-store advance tickets are cheaper than buying at the gate, so if your date is set, it pays to buy ahead.
What to See This Season
The 2026-2027 season runs from October 17, 2026, to May 31, 2027. The park closes for maintenance on January 6 and 7, 2027, though early-January closure dates have appeared inconsistently on the official site, so confirm the exact dates if you visit then.
The grounds fill with large-scale displays. This season's main features include the following.
- The water display "Hikari no Taiga" (Great River of Light), one of the largest of its kind in Japan
- The tunnel of light "Hana Kairo"
- The signature "Twin Tree"
- The glowing flower field
- Seasonal flowers alongside the displays — autumn leaves, cherry blossoms, plum blossoms, and tulips
Because the season is so long, the flowers on display change from month to month. The official site has not announced this season's overall theme name; last season's was "Zipangu."
Ticket Prices by Date
Admission to Nabana no Sato changes with the season. Admission is charged for ages six and up (elementary-school age and older), and younger children enter free. Each ticket includes a ¥1,000 in-park voucher and entry to the Begonia Garden. Advance tickets are sold at FamilyMart and 7-Eleven kiosks in Japan (in Japanese), and you can buy and use them the same day.
Period | Convenience-store advance | At the gate |
|---|---|---|
Oct 17 – Nov 20 | ¥2,500 | ¥2,700 |
Nov 21 – Dec 22 | ¥3,000 | ¥3,200 |
Dec 23 – 25 (Christmas special) | not yet announced | ¥5,500 |
Dec 26 – Feb 28 | ¥3,000 | ¥3,200 |
Mar 1 – May 31 | ¥2,500 | ¥2,500 |
The price swings a few hundred yen depending on your date. If you want it quieter and cheaper, aim for the stretch through mid-November or from March onward, when prices are lower and the pre-Christmas crush is easier to avoid. The three Christmas-special days (December 23-25) work differently, and I cover them at the end.
Book a Nabana no Sato Illumination Tour
Hours and When to Go
The display comes on at a time that shifts with the sunset, so there is no fixed start. Across the season from October 17, 2026, to May 31, 2027, it begins earlier in midwinter, when the days are short, and later in spring. Opening hours also differ between weekdays and weekends, so check the official schedule for the exact times on your date. The official site shows each day's opening hours when you click the date, and last entry is 30 minutes before closing.
To dodge the crowds, it's worth following the park's own advice. Aim to arrive by around 4 p.m. on weekdays or 3 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Crowds tend to thin out after 7 p.m. on weekdays and after 8 p.m. on weekends and holidays.
The park stays open on rainy days, and the displays run as usual.
Weekends and the days around Christmas get especially busy. The entrance and parking lot fill up in the early evening, so arriving before dusk lets you take in the displays without a wait.
Getting There from Nagoya and Osaka
Public transport from the Nagoya side is the easiest option.
By train and shuttle bus: a direct shuttle runs between Kintetsu-Nagashima Station and Nabana no Sato through the winter season, taking about 10 minutes for ¥250 (¥130 for children). This shuttle leaves only from Kintetsu-Nagashima, not from JR Nagashima Station. From Nagoya Station, the train-and-bus trip can take as little as 35 minutes. The shuttle may not begin until October 18, so if you are going on opening day (October 17), check the first day of service with the bus operator.
By highway bus: a direct bus also runs from Nagoya's Meitetsu Bus Center in about 30 minutes, with no reservation needed — just show up and board. The fare is ¥1,200 (¥600 for elementary-school children).
Because the park stays open late into the evening, check the last shuttle from Kintetsu-Nagashima Station and the last highway bus back to the Meitetsu Bus Center for your date before you set out; the timetable shifts with the season.
By car: the nearest interchange is Wangan-Nagashima IC on the Isewangan Expressway, about 30 minutes from Nagoya. Route 1 and the Higashi-Meihan Expressway tend to clog up, so the park recommends Route 23 or the Isewangan Expressway instead. Parking is free, with room for 5,700 cars.
When the roads around the park are jammed, the roughly 25-minute walk from either JR Nagashima Station or Kintetsu-Nagashima Station can be quicker. Note, though, that the shuttle bus leaves only from Kintetsu-Nagashima.
From Osaka: first take a Kintetsu limited express that stops at Kuwana from Osaka-Namba. Kintetsu-Nagashima Station has no limited-express service, so change at Kuwana to a local or semi-express for the short hop to the station (about 5 minutes), then ride the shuttle bus (about 10 minutes) to the park. The trip to Kintetsu-Nagashima takes roughly 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes with a limited express and the Kuwana transfer; check the Kintetsu timetable for the exact schedule.
Nabana no Sato sits in the Nagashima Onsen area, where you can also stay the night and make a night of it.
Check hotel availability and rates in Nagoya.
The Christmas Special (December 23-25)
For three days, December 23 to 25, the park runs a "Christmas special" with no daytime opening. On these dates it opens at 3 p.m., and admission is by date-specific advance ticket. These tickets are sold in limited numbers on a first-come basis, and the gate sells them only if any are left, so lock in a ticket ahead if your date is fixed.
The gate price is ¥5,500, and the included voucher rises to ¥2,000 (Begonia Garden entry included). The advance price had not been announced at the time of writing. It closes around 10 p.m. on December 23 and around 11 p.m. on December 24 and 25, though the official site is not fully consistent, so confirm the hours for your date before you head out.
It is the most dazzling stretch of the year, but expect special-event pricing and heavier crowds as well. If your trip falls on these dates, check the ticket details early.
This article was translated from the original Japanese with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team. The Japanese version is authoritative.
