Kobe Motomachi Lantern Nights 2026

Dates & time: September 9, 2026 (Wed) - September 29, 2026 (Tue) 18:00–22:00（オブジェ点灯）
Price & booking: No admission fee is stated by the organiser (lanterns are displayed at the shops and facilities) The digital stamp rally is due to start on 9 Sept. Visit the locations with your smartphone; collect every stamp to enter a draw for special goods. Prize numbers and contents are still being finalised.
Venue & access: Daimaru Kobe and 12 other shops and facilities in Chuo-ku, Kobe About a 5-min walk east from Motomachi Station (JR / Hanshin), or right at Kyu-Kyoryuchi-Daimaru-mae Station (Kaigan Line) for the Daimaru Kobe area. By car, about 3 min from the Kyobashi exit of Hanshin Expressway Route 3; use nearby paid parking.

There are 12 car parks within a 12-minute walk of Daimaru Kobe and 12 other shops and facilities in Chuo-ku, Kobe, and 1 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

Timed to Nankinmachi's Mid-Autumn Festival, colourful lantern objects appear at 13 shops and facilities across Kobe's Chuo ward, from Motomachi and the former foreign settlement out to Kobe Airport. Three large symbolic lanterns anchor the trail, and each participating shop makes its own original piece. Lights are on from 18:00 to 22:00, so the walk itself is the attraction once it gets dark. A digital stamp rally covers every location, and collecting them all enters you in a draw for special goods. A three-week excuse for an unhurried evening walk around Motomachi and Nankinmachi.

Participating Shops

Shop List & Map

The 13 participating locations listed on the official site. Where each lantern sits (shopfront, window, etc.) varies by shop.

NOTE

Giant lanterns

Three large symbolic lanterns: phoenix, lotus and lion
Their locations are not listed on the official site

13 participating shops and facilities

Roshoki / Isuzu Bakery / RUN JOURNEY / Hanamiya / Sannomiya Ikkanro / Ryukaso
Daimaru Kobe / Shikoro / Kiss FM KOBE / Nagata Ryosuke Shoten / Kobe Airport (Terminal 2) / New name! / Parparole Building

Also worth knowing

25-27 Sept overlaps with the Nankinmachi Mid-Autumn Festival
A "Gensotan Light" workshop was held on 23 Aug
Roshoki is trading from a temporary shop on the east side of Nankinmachi Square while its main store is rebuilt

* Participating shops and content may change without notice.

Motomachi Nankinmachi Night View Photo Spots Culture Art Date Free Cheap

出典: 元町東地域協議会（MEW）公式サイト

Kobe · Gluten-free

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FAQ

Is there an admission fee?

The organiser does not state an admission fee. The lanterns are displayed at the participating shops and facilities, and the digital stamp rally is joined from a smartphone.

When are the lanterns lit?

Daily from 18:00 to 22:00 during the period. 25-27 Sept overlaps with the Nankinmachi Mid-Autumn Festival, so those dates combine well.

Can all 13 locations be walked in one go?

The Motomachi-dori and Sannomiya-cho shops are within walking distance of each other, but Kobe Airport (Terminal 2) and the Naka Pier terminal are further out. On foot, start around Motomachi and Nankinmachi.

Nearby Spots

spots

Kobe Motomachi Lantern Nights 2026

Why You Should Visit

Participating Shops

NOTE

Where to go next

FAQ

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