If you’re looking for Yokohama illuminations in 2026, you’re in for a lovely winter evening. Seasonal light displays are one of the things this country does exceptionally well. Yokohama is particularly good at it. The harbour, the historic buildings and the wide pedestrian areas around Minatomirai give the lights plenty of room to shine. This guide covers six places I’d put on my own winter itinerary, from the big waterfront shows to quieter neighbourhood illuminations. Some are free, while others have ticketed areas.
Yokohama Christmas Illuminations 2026: Dates, Locations and Admission
| Event | Dates | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| YORUNOYO 2026 | December 4–30, 2026 | Free |
| Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market | November 20–December 25, 2026 | From ¥500 |
| Yokohama Miraito | November 13, 2026–March 28, 2027 | Free |
| Isezaki☆Light | November 15, 2026–February 28, 2027 | Free |
| Yokohama Chinatown Spring Festival Illumination | November 1, 2026–February 20, 2027 | Free |
1. YORUNOYO (ヨルノヨ)
If I had to pick one event to show someone just how good Yokohama’s winter illuminations can be, YORUNOYO would be high on my list. This isn’t a little row of Christmas lights outside a shopping centre. The event uses the central waterfront as one enormous stage, with buildings and public spaces joining in for a coordinated light and music show.
The main attraction is Highlight of Yokohama, a five-minute performance in which 47 facilities across the city synchronise their lights. Head to Osanbashi for the large outdoor projection mapping, where a 25-metre illuminated whale appears across the rooftop. Yamashita Park has its own 10-metre-high cube of light.
I particularly like that you can experience the event from different locations. You aren’t stuck in one spot watching a screen. You can walk along the waterfront and see the city changing around you.
The main show takes place at set times throughout the evening, so check the schedule before you arrive. I’d aim for Osanbashi if you want a good view of the wider city performance.
Event details
- Date: December 4–30, 2026
- Hours: 5:00 pm–9:05 pm
- Show times: Every 30 minutes from 5:00 pm, with the final show at 9:00 pm
- Location: Yokohama Central Waterfront Area, including Osanbashi and Yamashita Park
- Fee: Free
- Highlights: Synchronized city-wide lighting, interactive projection mapping and the illuminated whale at Osanbashi
- Website: YORUNOYO official website
2. Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market (横浜赤レンガ倉庫クリスマスマーケット)
The Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market is probably the most traditionally Christmassy event on this list. The historic buildings, waterfront setting and wooden market huts make a lovely backdrop for an evening out. Add the smell of hot food and seasonal drinks, and it’s easy to see why this event attracts so many visitors.
The 2026 centrepiece is an approximately 11-metre natural Sakhalin spruce Christmas tree. There will also be an illuminated roof canopy and a light tunnel, along with plenty of stalls selling festive food, drinks and seasonal goods. The free Christmas Village area will feature a Pokémon collaboration for the franchise’s 30th anniversary.
I enjoy browsing Christmas markets, but I’m going to be honest: this one can get seriously busy. Weekend evenings are especially popular, and queuing for food while trying to keep track of everyone in your group can become a bit of a festive endurance sport. Go on a weekday if you can. You’ll have a much easier time looking around.
The market has paid and free areas, and ticket prices depend on the date. Children have free admission under the organiser’s stated conditions, so check the ticket page if you’re visiting as a family.
Event details
- Date: November 20–December 25, 2026
- Hours: November 20: 5:00 pm–9:00 pm; November 21–December 4: 11:00 am–9:00 pm; December 5–25: 11:00 am–10:00 pm
- Illumination hours: From 4:00 pm until closing; the Christmas tree stays lit until 11:00 pm
- Location: Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Event Plaza and Red Brick Park
- Fee: Standard admission from ¥500. Prices vary by date, with some free areas.
- Highlights: Natural Christmas tree, illuminated canopy, light tunnel, market stalls and Pokémon Christmas Village
- Website: Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market
3. Yokohama Miraito (ヨコハマミライト)
Yokohama Miraito is a great option if you’d rather enjoy the winter lights without paying for a separate event. The illumination follows the pedestrian route from Yokohama Station’s East Exit towards Grand Mall Park, with the main displays around Art Plaza.
This is one of the easiest illuminations to fit into an evening out. You can start near the station and wander towards Minatomirai, stopping for dinner or a coffee along the way. The route is also useful if you’re arriving in Yokohama by train and want to start exploring straight away.
The lighting is spread along the route, so you can enjoy it at your own pace. I like that it turns an ordinary walk through the city into something a little more special. No ticket queue required.
A word of warning about the starting point: Yokohama Station is enormous and can be confusing if you aren’t familiar with it. There are several railway companies, multiple exits and a remarkable number of underground passageways. Give yourself extra time if you’re meeting someone or changing trains.
Event details
- Date: November 13, 2026–March 28, 2027
- Hours: Check the official website for the confirmed 2026 lighting schedule
- Location: Yokohama Station East Exit towards Grand Mall Park, centred around Art Plaza
- Fee: Free
- Highlights: Winter illumination along the pedestrian route towards Minatomirai
- Website: Yokohama Miraito official website
4. Isezaki☆Light (イセザキ☆ライト)
For a different side of Yokohama, head to Isezaki Mall. The winter illumination here has a more traditional downtown feel than the big waterfront displays, with lights running along Isezaki Mall’s first and second streets.
This is a good stop if you’ve already spent an evening around Minatomirai and fancy seeing another part of the city. The shopping street has its own character, with everyday shops and signs sitting alongside the seasonal decorations. It feels like a local shopping area getting ready for winter, rather than a dedicated Christmas attraction.
I enjoy that contrast. Yokohama has plenty of polished waterfront scenery, but there’s more to the city than the postcard views around the harbour.
Isezaki☆Light runs from mid-November through February for the 2026–27 season. The exact daily lighting hours have not been confirmed, so check the official campaign information before making a special trip.
Event details
- Date: November 15, 2026–February 28, 2027
- Hours: Check the official website for the 2026 schedule
- Location: Isezaki Mall, first and second streets
- Fee: Free
- Highlights: Winter lighting along a traditional downtown shopping street
- Website: Isezaki Mall official website
5. Yokohama Chinatown Spring Festival Illumination (2027春節燈花)
This one deserves a place on the list, even though it isn’t a Christmas event. Yokohama Chinatown’s Spring Festival Illumination celebrates Chinese New Year, and the centrepiece is a spectacular dragon lantern stretching across Chinatown’s main street.
The display is called Shunsetsu Touka (春節燈花). The streets are decorated with red lanterns and illuminated decorations, with a large dragon lantern above Chinatown’s main street and a smaller dragon appearing along Shanghai Road. The red lighting gives the whole neighbourhood a very different look after dark.
There’s also a light promenade connecting Yamashita Park’s central entrance with Chinatown’s Choyomon Gate. A separate illuminated bridge links Chinatown’s Market Street with Motomachi, making it easy to include a little extra wandering in your evening.
I especially like this one because it feels so different from the waterfront displays. You’re walking through a busy neighbourhood filled with restaurants, shops, temples and traditional decorations, rather than visiting a designated event venue.
The illumination begins in November and continues into February, so you don’t have to visit during the actual Chinese New Year celebrations to see it. If you’re visiting Yokohama in winter, it’s an easy stop to combine with dinner in Chinatown.
Event details
- Date: November 1, 2026–February 20, 2027
- Hours: 4:00 pm–11:00 pm
- Location: Throughout Yokohama Chinatown, including the route towards Yamashita Park and the Market Street Bridge
- Fee: Free
- Highlights: Giant dragon lantern, smaller dragon lantern, red lanterns throughout Chinatown and the illuminated promenade towards Yamashita Park
- Website: Yokohama Chinatown official event page
The Best Walking Routes for Yokohama Illuminations
One of the best things about visiting Yokohama for winter illuminations is that you can link several displays together without spending your entire evening on trains. The central waterfront is especially easy to explore on foot, although I’d choose a route rather than attempt to see absolutely everything in one night.
Route 1: Yokohama Station to the Red Brick Warehouse
Best for: Yokohama Miraito and the Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market.
Start at Yokohama Station’s East Exit and follow the Miraito displays towards Grand Mall Park. Continue through the Minatomirai area towards Shinko and the Red Brick Warehouse.
Finish at the Christmas Market for food, a look around the stalls and the large Christmas tree. If you’re visiting in December, you can also check out the Christmas Village and the YORUNOYO × Christmas Gate installation nearby.
This is a good route if you want a relaxed evening with a mix of free illuminations and a proper Christmas event.
If your legs are getting tired, the Yokohama Air Cabin can help with part of the journey. It connects Sakuragicho Station with Unga Park, close to the Red Brick Warehouse. It’s a paid ride, but the views are lovely. I wouldn’t rely on it as your main transport plan, though. Check the operating schedule and work out how it fits your route.
Route 2: Red Brick Warehouse, Osanbashi and Yamashita Park
Best for: The Christmas Market and YORUNOYO.
Start at the Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market, then walk along the Shinko waterfront towards Osanbashi. From there, continue towards Yamashita Park for more of the YORUNOYO displays.
This is the route I’d choose if YORUNOYO is your main reason for visiting. You get the Christmas market atmosphere first, followed by the larger waterfront installations and citywide light show.
The route is exposed to the wind, particularly around Osanbashi. Wrap up properly. Your ears will thank you.
Route 3: Isezaki Mall and Chinatown
Best for: Isezaki☆Light and the Spring Festival dragon lanterns.
If you want to see a different side of Yokohama, spend an evening around Kannai, Isezaki Mall and Chinatown.
Start with the lights along Isezaki Mall, then make your way towards Chinatown. The dragon lanterns and red decorations are especially striking after dark. You can finish with dinner or a snack in Chinatown, which is a much better way to end an evening than rushing back to the station hungry.
This route is separate from the main Minatomirai waterfront walk, so I’d give it its own evening if you have enough time.
Yokohama Illuminations FAQs
When do the Yokohama Christmas illuminations start in 2026?
Some of Yokohama’s winter illuminations begin in early November. Yokohama Miraito starts on November 13, Isezaki☆Light begins on November 15, and the Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market opens on November 20. YORUNOYO starts later, on December 4.
Are Yokohama’s Christmas illuminations free?
Many are free to visit, including YORUNOYO, Yokohama Miraito, Pacifico Yokohama LIGHTSCAPE, Motomachi and Isezaki☆Light. The Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market has ticketed areas, with standard admission starting at ¥500. Some areas are free, too.
Can I see several Yokohama illuminations in one evening?
Definitely. The Minatomirai area is particularly convenient because you can walk between Yokohama Miraito, Pacifico Yokohama and the Red Brick Warehouse. You can also continue towards Osanbashi and Yamashita Park for YORUNOYO.
Is Yokohama good for Christmas illuminations with children?
Yes, especially around the main waterfront areas. The Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market is likely to be the busiest stop, so consider visiting on a weekday or earlier in the day.
What is the best time to see the Yokohama Christmas lights?
Arriving around sunset gives you time to explore before the evening gets too late. The Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market’s lights come on from 4:00 pm, while YORUNOYO’s evening programme runs from 5:00 pm to 9:05 pm. If you want to see the synchronized YORUNOYO show, check the individual performance times before you go.
You don’t have to visit in December to enjoy Yokohama’s winter lights.
