Winter Illumination in Oita City

Is it just us, or does it feel like December has sped right past this year? While many in Japan start their busy New Years’ cleaning preparations, family visits, and cooking, December is also a month of outdoor illumination decorations that appease our desires for something a little more relaxing during this busy season. In Oita city, the annual winter illuminations event does precisely that, asking little else from us but to unwind and marvelat this year’s festival of lights.

This year’s “Fantasy of Lights” runs from November 11th to February 14th and transforms the lively city of Oita into just that — a fantasy. Approximately 430,000 lights transform Funai Aqua Park, Galleria Takemachi Dome Square, Wakakusa Park, and Funai Sansan Road into magical wintery scenery.

You’ll be pleased to know that you won’t need a vehicle to visit the city’s illumination destinations, as they are all within walking distance from the city station. If you arrive by train, it only makes sense to start your illumination tour at the Galleria Takemachi Dome Square in front of the JR Oita Station. This spacious plaza holds various lights displays, including the rainbow pathway that attracts children and adults alike to this colorful scenery.

Next, move onto Wakakusa Park, where different lights illuminate its fountain into a fanatic watery light show. Nearby is Funai Aqua Park — the most romantic illumination spot you’ll find in this year’s lights display — with 50,000 champagne-gold LEDs turning this into a popular romantic date spot for couples or friends and family to admire the illumination scenery.

We hope you will join us for our winter illumination event when you’re in Oita next and wish you all the best of the new year. As always, we’ll be ready to welcome you to Japan as we look forward to wonderful adventures and travel in 2022.

*Oita Prefectural Tourism Association "Tourism Oita"

The Holiday and Travel Magazine
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