The Taiwan Festival in KUMAMOTO 2026 – Tainan Lantern Festival – is set to be held at Hanabatake Hiroba in central Kumamoto this spring. The Taiwan Festival is an event that aims to bridge Japan and Taiwan by giving visitors a taste of Taiwan through night market food and culture from across the island, under the theme "365 Days of Taiwanese Night Markets in Japan." Having first launched in 2016, the festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
This year's Taiwan Festival features a collaboration with Tainan, an ancient city in southern Taiwan. Throughout the event, visitors can experience the food, culture, and warmth that Tainan is known for.
The venue will be adorned with colorful and fantastical lanterns, creating a lively atmosphere during the day and a dreamy, lantern-lit ambiance at night. The event offers an extraordinary experience that transports visitors to the streets of Tainan without leaving Kumamoto.
The food lineup includes familiar Taiwan Festival staples such as daijiapai (large fried chicken) and xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), alongside Tainan specialties like Tainan tantsi noodles and Tainan dry tantsi noodles. Local chefs will be on hand to recreate authentic flavors and showcase the rich food culture of Tainan.
After dark, colorful Tainan lanterns illuminate the seating area, creating a vibrant and otherworldly atmosphere. The space blends an exotic and nostalgic feel, offering a nighttime version of Tainan that looks quite different from the daytime experience.
Tainan is also known as one of Taiwan's premier fruit-producing regions. The fruits grown there benefit from a warm climate, long sunshine hours, and a favorable balance of rain and sun, resulting in produce that is notably sweet and aromatic. The Taiwan Festival will showcase the appeal of Tainan's fruits in a variety of forms throughout the event.
Event Details
Taiwan Festival in KUMAMOTO 2026 – Tainan Lantern Festival –
- Dates: Friday, April 24 – Sunday, May 10, 2026 (Rain or shine; canceled in severe weather)
- Hours: 11:30 AM – 9:30 PM (Last order 9:00 PM)
- April 24 (Fri) only: 4:00 PM – 9:30 PM (Last order 9:00 PM)
- Admission: Free
- Venue: Hanabatake Hiroba (7-7 Hanabatake-machi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture)
- Official website: https://taiwan-matsuri.com/202604-kumamoto/
