This article originally featured in the December 2019 issue of of Connect.
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Block 1
Hakodate Christmas Fantasy
November 30 – December 25
Hakodate City, Hokkaido Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
64th Hokkaido Gishi Festival
December 14
Sunagawa City, Hokkaido Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
18th German Christmas market in Sapporo
November 22 – December 25
Sapporo City, Hokkaido Prefecture
Website in English and Japanese
Hiroo Hair Crab Festival
December 8
Hiroo Town, Hokkaido Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Koiwai Winter Illumination
November 22 – January 13
Shizukuishi Town, Iwate Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Odate Shining Street
December 7 – January 13
Odate City, Akita Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
The Tsugaru Shamisen 2019
December 7
Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Arts Towada Winter Illumination
December 6 – February 14
Towada City, Aomori Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Block 2
Shibata Fantasy Illumination
December 1 – December 30
Shibata Town, Miyagi Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Sendai Pageant of Starlight
December 6 – December 31
Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
32nd Pageant of Light
December 6 – December 31
Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Echigo Park Winter Illumination
December 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21-25
Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Big Catch of Cold Yellowtail Festival
December 1
Sado City, Niigata Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Mt. Zao Juhyo Light-Up
December 28 – February 29
Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture
Website in English and Japanese
Tsuruoka Daruma City
December 17
Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Kohata Flag Festival
December 1
Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Concert at Takine Goten in Abukuma-do
December 1 – December 29
Tamura City, Fukushima Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Block 3
159th Koga Pole Lantern Festival
December 7
Koga City, Ibaraki Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Oguri Hangan Festival
December 1
Chikusei City, Ibaraki Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Gunma Flower Park Illumination
November 9 – January 13
Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Lake Haruna Illumination Festa
December 6 – December 28
Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Watarase Keikoku Railway Illuminations
December 1 – February 29
Midori City, Gunma Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Tomioka Christmas Maruche
December 7
Tomioka City, Gunma Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Shimotsuki Festival
December 13 – December 15
Iida City, Nagano Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Karuizawa International Curling Championship 2019
December 19 – December 22
Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture
Website in English and Japanese
Ashikaga Flower Park Illumination
December – February 6
Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture
Website in English and Japanese
Kinugawa-Kawaji Onsen Yuzu-yu Baths
December 21 – December 22
Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture
Website in English and Japanese
Tobu World Square Illumination
November 9 – March 7
Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Kasukabe Hagoita Market
December 2 – December 3
Kasukabe City, Saitama Prefecture
Website in English and Japanese
Chichibu Night Festival
December 2 – December 3
Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Block 4
Setagaya Boro-ichi Market
December 15 – December 16
Tokyo, Tokyo Prefecture
Website in English and Japanese
Winter Comiket
December 28 – December 31
Tokyo, Tokyo Prefecture
Website in English and Japanese
Tokyo Dome City Winter Lights Garden
November 13 – February 26
Tokyo, Tokyo Prefecture
Website in English and Japanese
Gishi Matsuri
December 14
Tokyo, Tokyo Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Jewel of Shonan Illumination
November 23 – February 16
Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Mt. Akiba Fire Prevention Festival
December 6
Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market
November 22 – December 25
Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Website in English and Japanese
Sumatakyo Onsen Thanks Festival
December 6 – December 7
Kawanehon Town, Shizuoka Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Yamanakako Fantaseum
November 23 – January 5
Yamanakako, Yamanashi Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Block 5
Tulip Park KIRAKIRA Mission
December 1 – December 25
Tonami City, Toyama Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Tanbo Illuminations
November 23 – December 25
Owariasahi City, Aichi Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Winter Illuminations in Ota River
December 1 – January 13
Toukai City, Aichi Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Donki Matsuri
December 17
Toyokawa City, Aichi Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Gero Onsen Fireworks Musical
December 7, 14, 21, 24
Gero City, Gifu Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Ikenoue Misogi Matsuri
December 14
Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture
Website in English and Japanese
Cormorant Festival
December 16
Hakui City, Ishikawa Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Block 6
Kobe Luminarie 2019
December 6 – December 15
Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
116th Ako Gishi Matsuri
December 14
Ako City, Hyogo Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Arashiyama Hanatouro
December 13 – December 22
Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Twinkle Joyo 2019
December 1 – December 25
Joyo City, Kyoto Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Yamashina Gishi Matsuri
December 14
Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Tarobogu Shrine Bonfire Festival
December 1
Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Block 7
Osaka Hikari Renaissance
December 14 – December 25
Osaka, Osaka Prefecture
Website in English and Japanese
Kotsuma Pumpkin Festival
December 22
Osaka, Osaka Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
German Christmas Market Osaka 2019
November 15 – December 25
Osaka, Osaka Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Umeda Snowman Festival
November 22 – December 25
Osaka, Osaka Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Ise Great Kagura
December 24
Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Tosai
December 14
Kashiba City, Nara Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri
December 15 – December 18
Nara, Nara Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Nachi Falls Light up
December 31 – January 1
Nachi-Katsuura Town, Wakayama Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Block 8
Sada Wonder Night
December 7
Ikata Town, Ehime Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Nakayamaike Natural Park Illumination
December 1 – January 3
Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Ryugado Cave Candle Night 2019
December 21
Kami City, Kochi Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Winter Fantasy
November 23 – January 5
Manno Town, Kagawa Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
All-Japan New Year Udon Tournament 2019 in Sanuki
December 7 – December 8
Sanuki City, Kagawa Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Santa Comes from the River
December 14, 15, 23, 25
Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Doitsukan German Christmas Market
December 7 – December 8
Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Block 9
Festival of Time
December 31
Oda City, Shimane Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Morotabune Shinji
December 3
Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Shimenawa Matsuri
December 10
Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
35th Shunan Winter Tree Festival
November 30 – January 5
Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Yamaguchi Christmas City
December 1 – December 31
Yamaguchi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture
Website in English and Japanese
Tottori Sakyu Illusion
December 7 – December 22
Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
3D Projection Mapping: The Love Story of Taj Mahal
December 7 – December 22
Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Soja Illuminations 2019
December 2 – January 5
Soja City, Okayama Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Momotaro Fantasy 2019
December 5 – January 5
Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Maniwa Illuminations in Heart Plaza
December 7 – February 14
Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Dreamination 2019
November 15 – January 3
Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Chinka-sai
December 31
Miyajima, Hiroshima Prefecture
Website in English and Japanese
Luxeater Fukuyama 2019
December 1 – December 25
Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Block 10
Kumano Shrine Cold Misogi
December 21
Itoshima City, Fukuoka Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Blindfold Female Sumo Wrestling
December 8
Itoshima City, Fukuoka Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Uminaka Christmas Candle Night
December 21, 22, 24, 25
Saitozaki, Fukuoka Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Ohitaki
December 8
Kashima City, Saga Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Christmas Fireworks
December 21 – December 25
Sasebo City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Church Week in Kamigoto Church Concerts
December 11 – December 15
Shin-kamigoto, Nagasaki Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Huis Ten Bosch Countdown
December 31
Sasebo City, Nagasaki Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Oita Illumination Fantasy
November 29 – February 14
Oita City, Oita Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Beppu Christmas Fantasia
December 21 – December 22
Beppu City, Oita Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Yansa Festival
December 7
Nakatsu City, Oita Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Block 11
Wonder Illumination
November 23 – January 13
Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Tenmonkan Millionation
December 20 – January 31
Kagoshima, Kagoshima Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
38th Ryumonji Pottery Festival
December 13 – December 15
Aira City, Kagoshima Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
20th Anniversary Itoman Peaceful Illumination
December 15 – January 3
Itoman City, Okinawa Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Yambaru Art Festival
December 14 – January 13
Ogimi, Okinawa Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Ryukyu Lantern Festival
December 1 – March 31
Yomitan, Okinawa Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Miyakonojo Machinaka Illumination
November 16 – January 13
Miyakonojo City, Miyazaki Prefecture
Website in Japanese only
Florante Miyazaki Illumination Flower Garden
December 6 – January 13
Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture
Website in Japanese only