Kyoto Christmas Market & Sky Lanterns 2026

Dates & time: December 24, 2026 (Thu) - December 25, 2026 (Fri) 15:00〜20:00
Price & booking: Pay at each stall for food and goods. Sky lanterns (25 Dec): ¥3,000 in advance / ¥3,500 on the day (100 lanterns only) No booking needed for the market. Sky lanterns are sold in advance (100 only), with the sales start date to be announced on the organiser's Instagram. If they sell out in advance, there will be no sales on the day.
Venue & access: Ohigashi-san Hiroba, Higashi Hongan-ji About 7 minutes on foot from JR Kyoto Station, 5 minutes from Gojo Station (Karasuma subway line), or 1 minute from the Karasuma Shichijo city bus stop. No event parking.

There are 12 car parks within a 12-minute walk of Ohigashi-san Hiroba, Higashi Hongan-ji, and 6 public restrooms within 8 minutes. The map shows each with its walking time.

Facility data comes from OpenStreetMap. It does not include opening hours, fees or availability.

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Why You Should Visit

A two-evening Christmas market on Ohigashi-san Hiroba, the plaza in front of Higashi Hongan-ji, a short walk from Kyoto Station. Handmade and workshop stalls share the square with kitchen cars and a night-stall area run by Kyoto's street-vendor association, from 15:00 to 20:00 on 24 and 25 December. Christmas Eve is billed as the warm-up night, with performances including a special appearance by the Nikko Monkey troupe. On the 25th the organisers are finalising plans for the first sky-lantern release ever held in front of the temple: 100 red and green lanterns sent up together with a gospel performance. A good stop if you are spending Christmas in Kyoto and want an evening outdoors near the station.

Programs

Timetable & Map

NOTE

Areas on the plaza:

Marche area: market stalls, flea market, workshops and handmade goods
Kitchen-car area: meals, snacks and desserts
Night-stall area: run by Kyoto's street-vendor association
Performance area

Sky lanterns:

The first lantern event held in front of Higashi Hongan-ji
Lanterns come in two colours, red and green
As of November 2026, still being finalised with the relevant parties

Weather:

Goes ahead in rain; cancelled in stormy weather

※Organised by EN's Festa

Market Marche Events Festivals Illumination Winter Date History Heritage

出典: EN's Festa 公式サイト・公式Instagram

Kobe · Gluten-free

All Christmas markets in Kobe & Kansai → All night markets in Kobe & Kansai →

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FAQ

Can I buy a sky lantern on the day?

The 100 lanterns are sold in advance first. If they sell out, there are no sales on the day; any left over are sold on the day for ¥3,500. The sales start date will be announced on the organiser's Instagram.

Is there a difference between the 24th and the 25th?

The market runs 15:00–20:00 on both days. The 24th is the warm-up night with performances including the Nikko Monkey troupe; the sky-lantern release is on the 25th only.

Does it go ahead in the rain?

It goes ahead in rain and is cancelled only in stormy weather.