Kobe Nankinmachi Spring Festival 2026 — Opening Day Report [Feb 17, 2026]

February 17, 2026 (Tuesday) was Lunar New Year’s Day — and the opening day of the Nankinmachi Spring Festival 2026 in Kobe. A full day of programming was on offer from morning to night, and even arriving in the evening was more than enough to soak up the festive atmosphere.

Full Schedule for February 17 (Lunar New Year’s Day / Opening Day)

In addition, volunteers and the executive committee staged a Nan Long You Xing (Dragon Parade), with a dragon procession weaving from Motomachi Shopping Street all the way to Nankinmachi — a tradition unique to opening day.

Plenty to Enjoy Even Arriving in the Evening

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We joined the festivities from the evening, catching everything from the 17:30 music performance onward.

17:30 — Live Music by Makiko Naruo & Ding Ding Dong

The sounds of traditional Chinese instruments filled Nankinmachi Square as dusk settled in. The live performance featuring the erhu and other folk instruments was perfectly suited to the Spring Festival mood. Passersby who had been snacking their way through the stalls naturally paused to listen. The combination of street food aromas and folk music gave the nighttime Nankinmachi a distinctly magical quality.

18:30 — Acrobatics by the Tokyo Chinese Song & Dance Troupe

The Tokyo Chinese Song & Dance Troupe took the stage for the second time that day. Many who had missed the afternoon show turned out for the closing performance, filling the square with an enthusiastic crowd.

With Nankinmachi Square’s compact layout, the audience is impressively close to the performers — you can feel the energy of every move. Cheers and applause rang out, making for a perfect finale to opening day.

How Crowded Was It?

Being a weekday evening on opening day, it was nowhere near as packed as the weekend tends to get — but the square drew a solid crowd during performance time. Food stalls were open well into the evening, leaving plenty of opportunity to enjoy Nankinmachi’s street food before and after the shows. Arriving in the late afternoon is a great way to sidestep the heaviest crowds while still catching the closing stage.

Expect Big Crowds on the Weekend & Public Holiday

The main program continues on Saturday Feb 21, Sunday Feb 22, and Monday Feb 23 (Public Holiday). Free admission; hours are 11:00–19:00.

The weekend highlight is the traditional Cai Qing Lion Dance, where lions depart from Nankinmachi Square and visit shops throughout the neighborhood (not all stores). Dragon dances and other performances not seen on weekdays are also part of the lineup.

Crowds over the three-day holiday weekend are expected to be intense. If you want a front-row view of the performances, head to the square well before the show starts. Showing up right before the program begins often means watching from the back. A good strategy is to secure your spot early, then enjoy the food stalls after the performance.

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Access

Nankinmachi (Kobe Chinatown)

• Around Sakaemachi-dori 1–2 chome & Motomachi-dori 1–2 chome, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo
• Approx. 2 min walk from the East Exit of JR / Hanshin “Motomachi” Station

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