Shirakawa Go light up in winter 2026/27
The Shirakawa Go light up is the winter evening event when the thatched houses of Ogimachi are lit in the snow. It is not a nightly attraction. For winter 2026/27 the organiser has announced four evenings: 11, 17, 24 and 31 January 2027, from 17:30 to 19:30. You need a reservation in advance, and no ticket office opens on the day.
The dates for 2026 were 12, 18 and 25 January and 1 February. They are past, so do not plan around them. Because the evenings are few and demand is high, the practical question is not what to see but how you will arrive and whether you can still book.
Our picks: tours for the light-up
The Nagoya tour includes a winter illumination experience, and one listing from Takayama names the light-up admission. For the night tour, meals and admission tickets are separate, so compare what each one covers.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Winter illumination tour from Nagoya to Shirakawa-go
- Round-trip transportation from Nagoya
- Visit to Takayama Old Town
- Winter illumination experience
About ten hours that take in Takayama Old Town and the winter lights of Shirakawa-go. Hotel pickup within roughly 3 km of the station is part of it only if you choose that option.
Check availability →
Night tour from Nagoya to the Shirakawa-go snow lights
- Roundtrip transport from Nagoya
- Experienced driver and guide
- Fuel, toll and highway fees
A ten-hour round trip with a driver who also guides. Meals and admission tickets are not part of the price and need to be arranged separately.
Check availability →
Shirakawa-go light-up tour with the light-up admission
- Admission fee for the light-up
- Air-conditioned vehicle
The light-up admission fee is part of the price. It is a new listing with no ratings yet and cannot be cancelled free of charge.
Check availability →Shirakawa-go light-up and winter night tours
Night tours for the winter evenings. Check the dates, what is included and whether the light-up admission is part of the tour before you book.
Shirakawa go winter light up: dates and booking
Facts from the organiser's announcement of 2 September 2026.
Village entry and the viewpoint ticket are sold separately, and a parking reservation does not include the viewpoint ticket. Plan both if you want the view over the village as well as the lit lanes.
Do not count on an evening that has already sold out. As of the organiser's notice of 10 September 2026, the first round of car places was sold out, and the second round was announced to open on 1 December 2026 at 13:00 JST. Check the current state before you build a trip around a date.
Shirakawa go illumination by car, taxi or bus
Parking fees and times for the 2027 evenings.
Cars park at Midashima, with entry from 15:00 and exit until 20:00. The first round costs 6,000 yen for 1 to 5 people and 9,000 yen for 6 to 10 people. The second round costs 7,000 yen for 1 to 5 people and 10,000 yen for 6 to 10 people. Booking is online, by credit card. A taxi also needs a parking reservation, and buses need a separate permit.
Fees from 2027 apply to 2027 only, so do not read them back into the earlier evenings. Roads in winter need winter tyres, and snow can slow every approach, so see Shirakawa-go in winter and car hire and parking.
Day visitors on light-up days
Come early, leave on time.
Cars in the daytime
Cars can come in the daytime without a reservation. Entry is until 15:00 and the exit is open until 17:00.
Car hire and parking →Buses in the daytime
Buses need a reservation. Entry is until 14:00 and the exit is open until 16:00.
Getting there →Admission check
From 15:30 the organiser checks admission. If you travel by regular bus, choose one that arrives by 15:20.
Bus to Shirakawa-go →Overnight stay
The association allots rooms by lottery. Applications ran from 1 October 2026 to 31 October 2026 at 23:59 JST, and the results are planned for 10 November 2026.
Where to stay →Shirakawago winter tour with the light-up
What the evening tours cover.
A tour can simplify the evening, but the tickets differ. The winter lights tour from Nagoya includes round-trip transport, a visit to Takayama Old Town, a visit to Shirakawa-go and the winter illumination experience, with hotel pickup within about 3 km of Nagoya Station if you select it. A second night tour from Nagoya, with a driver and guide, leaves admission tickets out. One more tour lists the admission fee for the Shirakawago light-up in its includes.
Read each description before you pick, and compare the date, the start point and the admission line. For tours across the daytime and the rest of the year, see Shirakawa go tours.
Rules for the evening
Respect the village.
Drones are prohibited in the settlement area, and fireworks and open fires are not allowed in the village or around it, including on the riverbank. People live in the houses, so do not enter private land. A walk after dark in January is cold, so dress for snow.
Shirakawa-go light-up: frequently asked questions
When is the Shirakawa-go light-up?
For winter 2026/27 the evenings are 11, 17, 24 and 31 January 2027, from 17:30 to 19:30. The 2026 dates have passed.
Can I buy a ticket on the day?
No ticket office is open on the day. You need a reservation in advance, and the viewpoint ticket is separate from a parking reservation.
How much does parking cost on light-up evenings?
For the 2027 evenings the first round costs 6,000 yen for 1 to 5 people and 9,000 yen for 6 to 10 people, the second round 7,000 and 10,000 yen. The first round of car places was sold out as of 10 September 2026.
Do the night tours include the light-up admission?
It depends on the tour. One tour lists the admission fee for the light-up, while a Nagoya night tour leaves admission tickets out. Read the includes before you book.
Where can I read about winter conditions?
Our page on Shirakawa-go in winter covers snow depth, winter tyres and winter opening hours.