The Tanabata Sky Lantern Festival 2026 is coming to two venues in Saitama and Kyoto, offering a spectacular evening experience where visitors release wish-filled LED sky lanterns into the summer night sky. After 44,000 tickets sold out in 2025, the festival returns with up to 3,500 lanterns lighting up the sky each evening.
Send Your Wishes to the Night Sky
At the Tanabata Sky Lantern Festival, visitors write their wishes on tanzaku (paper strips) attached to lanterns, then release them skyward all at once. With up to 3,500 lanterns illuminating the venue at the same time, the event creates a magical, dreamlike atmosphere.
Summer Festival Entertainment
Alongside the lantern release, the event features a variety of summer festival activities:
- Stage performances
- Yatai (festival stall) booths
- Food trucks
- Chochin (paper lantern) wall photo spots
- Water fortune telling and mask stalls
Easy to Join Even After Work
The lantern release is scheduled for around 8:30 PM, and mid-session entry is allowed. This makes it convenient to attend on a weeknight after work or to drop in while traveling. The event is designed for a wide range of visitors who want a brief but extraordinary experience.
Event Details
Tanabata Sky Lantern Festival 2026
Saitama Venue
- Venue: Saitama Stadium 2002 Park, Daimon Ueki Adjusting Pond Plaza (tentative)
- Address: 2-1-191 Misono, Midori Ward, Saitama City, Saitama 336-0967
- Dates: July 17 (Fri) – July 23 (Thu), 2026
- Hours: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM (lantern release around 8:30 PM)
Kyoto Venue
- Venue: Kyoto Prefectural Kizugawa Sports Park (Joyo Gorigo no Oka)
- Address: 14-8 Tomino Kitagado, Joyo City, Kyoto 610-0111
- Dates: August 7 (Fri) – August 16 (Sun), 2026
- Hours: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM (lantern release around 8:30 PM)
Content: Sky lantern release, artist stage performances, festival stalls, food booths, and more
Tickets (early bird discount currently available):
- Adult: from ¥6,200
- Child: from ¥3,000
Tickets are available on the official website. Note that ticket prices increase as more tickets are sold, so early purchase is recommended.
