Tokyo German Village Illumination 2026-27: Start Times and Last Buses

Tokyo German Village (東京ドイツ村) is running its winter lights from October 31, 2026, to April 4, 2027.

The display switches on at 4:50 p.m. from November 9 to 22 and at 4:40 p.m. from November 23 to December 31, then later as the days get longer, reaching 6:00 p.m. from March 22. The park closes at 8:00 p.m. every day.

Despite the name, it isn't in Tokyo. The park sits in Sodegaura (袖ケ浦), Chiba, across Tokyo Bay via the Aqua-Line, and it has parking for about 3,000 cars. Once through the gate, you can stay in your car and drive close to the area you want to see.

If you're coming by train and bus, your ride home decides how long you can stay.

No car? Pick your bus home first. On November weekends and holidays, a special bus leaves the park gate for JR Sodegaura Station at 8:10 p.m. Every day, a bus to Chiba Station leaves Hiraokasho-mae (平岡小前), about an 11-minute walk away, at 9:18 p.m.

The 2026-27 season at a glance

This season's theme is "Why USA!? 〜超Smile! ドイツ村、アメリカへ〜" (roughly, "Super Smile! The German Village Goes to America"), marking the park's 25th anniversary and the 250th anniversary of US independence. Displays around the park draw on New York, Times Square, Las Vegas, Texas and outer space.

The Times Square area features a light-and-sound show, while the Las Vegas area has a slot-machine-style display whose reels spin when you pull the lever. By the lake, the Tokyo Lantern Festival 2026 runs over the same dates, with lanterns lit from sunset to 8:00 p.m.

Start times by date

The lights come on earlier or later with the sunset. The park's official calendar lists these start times:

Last entry is 7:30 p.m. and the park closes at 8:00 p.m. That gives you up to 3 hours 20 minutes with the lights on from November 23 to December 31, and 2 hours from March 22.

Christmas and New Year

The park's FAQ says it keeps its usual 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. hours over New Year and doesn't hold a countdown. On December 24 and 25, Christmas concerts and other performances are scheduled with no separate viewing charge (regular admission still applies).

Without a car, plan ahead for Christmas week. From December 23 to 25, the 5:20 p.m. Capina (カピーナ号) bus to Chiba Station skips the park stop, and the December schedule for the special bus hasn't been announced.

That week is covered by the free shuttle to Yokota Station, which runs daily from December 19 to January 3; its last run leaves the park at 7:37 p.m.

To stay until closing, walk about 11 minutes to Hiraokasho-mae for the 9:18 p.m. bus (there are also 5:18 and 6:43 p.m. departures).

Tickets and payment

Admission is ¥1,500 for adults and ¥800 for children from age 4 through elementary school. There's no evening discount. The official site doesn't list a price for children under 4.

Drivers pay a parking fee on top of admission: ¥1,500 per car through December 31 and ¥1,000 from January 1. You can't ride motorcycles or bicycles into the park; there's bike parking by the gate.

At the gate you can pay in cash or by credit card. WAON is the only e-money accepted, so transit IC cards like Suica won't work, and neither will QR-code apps like PayPay. Attractions inside the park accept cash only.

You can buy an admission ticket in advance on the official ticket site (Japanese) or pay at the gate on the day.

Getting there and back without a car

Your last bus depends on where you board and what day it is. The table below lists return buses from the timetables published by the park, Nitto Kotsu (日東交通), Keisei Bus Chiba East (京成バス千葉イースト) and the JR Kururi Line Revitalization Council (JR久留里線活性化協議会).

Chiba Station and Sodegaura Station are both served by JR lines, with connections toward central Tokyo.

Staying until closing

As of November 8, the Capina's New Year schedule (December 31 to January 3) hasn't been announced.

Only two buses run after closing: the special bus from the gate (November weekends and holidays), and the 9:18 p.m. from Hiraokasho-mae. The special bus fare is ¥600 for adults and ¥300 for children, paid before you ride; transit IC cards such as Suica are accepted.

The park's access page itself points visitors to Hiraokasho-mae when no direct bus is running. Stay until 8:00 p.m. and you'll wait about an hour for the 9:18.

For the 6:43 p.m. bus, leave the park a little before 6:30. From November 9 to December 31, that still gives you about 1 hour 40 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes with the lights on.

Leaving from the park gate

On weekdays from November 9 to December 18 and from January 4 to 31, the only bus leaving the park gate after the lights come on is the 5:20 p.m. Capina.

That leaves you about 30 minutes of lights from November 9 to 22, 40 minutes from November 23 to December 31, 20 minutes from January 1 to 17, and 10 minutes from January 18 to 31. From February 1, it leaves as the lights come on or before.

From December 19 to January 3, the free shuttle runs on weekdays too.

Within that stretch, the 5:20 p.m. Capina skips the park from December 23 to 25, and from December 29 to 31 the Nozomino/Hiraoka local bus runs its holiday timetable, so its 4:49 p.m. departure also leaves after the lights are on.

Nitto Kotsu hasn't set the special bus schedule for December onward, citing the effects of Typhoon No. 25, and says it will announce it once it's decided. We'll update this page when it does.

Buses to the park

In November the special bus only runs from the park back to the station, so you can't use it to get there.

The Nozomino/Hiraoka local bus takes about 35 minutes from Sodegaura Station. On weekdays there's a single run at 11:22 a.m.; on weekends, holidays and December 29 to January 3, the last one leaves at 3:20 p.m.

The Capina bus takes about 40 minutes from Chiba Station and costs ¥950. The last departure that serves the park leaves Chiba Station at 3:25 p.m. and arrives at 4:09 p.m.

The 5:40 p.m. from Chiba Station reaches Hiraokasho-mae at 6:23 p.m., early enough for the 7:30 p.m. last entry. On shuttle days, the last shuttle leaves Yokota Station at 6:15 p.m. and reaches the park at 6:32.

For example, a car-free evening from November 23 to December 31 could follow this schedule:

• 3:25 p.m.: Capina bus from Chiba Station
• 4:09 p.m.: arrive at the park
• 4:40 p.m.: lights on
• 6:43 p.m. or 9:18 p.m.: bus from Hiraokasho-mae, a short walk away
• 10:07 p.m.: back at Chiba Station, if you stayed for the 9:18

Free shuttle to Yokota Station

The park and the JR Kururi Line Revitalization Council run a free shuttle between the park and Yokota Station (横田駅) on the JR Kururi Line, about 15 minutes each way.

It runs on weekends and holidays from October 31 to January 11, and every day from December 19 to January 3.

After dark, it leaves the park at 5:32, 6:32 and 7:37 p.m.; the last one reaches Yokota Station at 7:54. The official flyer says that when it's crowded, the shuttle may stop at the Hiraoka Elementary School (平岡小学校前) bus stop, the closest stop to the park.

The official flyer notes that Suica and other transit IC cards can't be used on the Kururi Line. The timetable is on the park's notice (Japanese).

Day tours

Day bus tours also run from places like Shinjuku and Yokohama, listed on the park's bus tour page (Japanese).

Search for Tokyo German Village day tours→

If you'd rather see winter lights closer to a train station, Yomiuriland Jewellumination 2026-2027 in Inagi, Tokyo, is another option.

Crowds and driving tips

According to the park's website, weekends and holidays get busy, especially from Christmas through New Year. Heavy traffic can delay entry and the drive home, and the park may limit admissions.

By car, it's about 5 minutes from Anegasaki-Sodegaura IC (姉崎袖ヶ浦IC) on the Tateyama Expressway, or 10 minutes from Kisarazu-Higashi IC (木更津東IC) on the Ken-O Expressway.

The park estimates the expressway drive at about 50 minutes from Tokyo and 45 minutes from Yokohama, and links to a Japanese-language Aqua-Line traffic forecast (Dorapura, ドラぷら).