Himeji Otemae Street Illuminations
Himeji City Press Release: October 22, 2025 Himeji Otemae Street Illumination By brightly decorating Otemae-dori Street with high-quality illuminations and creating a lively atmosphere through measures such as utilizing pedestrian zones and roads, we aim to improve mobility within the city and promote long-stay tourism. Date and time From Saturday, November 22, 2025 to Sunday, February 22, 2026 (93 days) 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM (until midnight on weekends and holidays) Location Otemae-dori Street (from Himeji Station to Himeji Castle), Otemae Park, and part of the Karō Yashiki Park Main performance contents Under the supervision of Mikiko Ishii, the illuminations will be themed around “Atara Yoru” (a night so beautiful it’s a shame it won’t end), and will feature
approximately 250,000 full-color LEDs, with colors and movements that change with the hour. The illuminations will also be coordinated with the iridescent cloud illuminations of Himeji Castle for a unified look. Special color displays will be available during Christmas, New Year’s, and other periods.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/73910/360/73910-360-dc505854a74591be8bf6f2eb81c8dffb-1801×2700.jpg At Iro Yashikiato Park, in addition to the full-color LEDs installed last year to light up the trees and the light effects that change in response to people’s movements, new lantern objects will be installed to create an even more captivating space.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/73910/360/73910-360-6a65867a5a5b3d8471111ed7acb15c07-2717×1528.png Pedestrian paradise Following on from last year, a portion of Otemae-dori Street (from National Route 2 to Jonan Line) will be closed to vehicles for part of the illumination period, creating an extraordinary space where you can enjoy Himeji Castle and the illuminations in the same view from the middle of the road. In addition, special lighting shows and events are planned for the pedestrian zone. Implementation date • Saturday, November 22nd and Sunday, November 23rd As part of the Himeji Art Season, performances by artists including guitar and piano accompaniment, as well as dance and calligraphy, are planned. • December 20th (Saturday) and 21st (Sunday) See Hitotoki (see below) To create a Christmas atmosphere in conjunction with Christmas, we plan to set up food trucks, decorate the venue, set up photo spots, and hold workshops.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/73910/360/73910-360-2726dbbb5b0de9e888cf33dfdc19185f-3900×2587.jpg Lighting Ceremony On Saturday, November 22nd, a lighting ceremony will be held in the pedestrian zone, along with an event in honor of “Good Husband and Wife Day.” • Commemorative photo with 99 sunflowers (the first 50 couples to arrive holding hands will have their photo taken by a professional photographer) • Approximately 2,000 roses will be distributed in front of JR Himeji Station (scheduled to begin at 4:00 PM). The roses to be distributed will be provided by JFT Himeji Flowers Co., Ltd. (300 Fukashino, Mikuni-cho, Himeji City). Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/73910/360/73910-360-4c18fff221cf03a8e2e00b73cd11c4cf-3900×2600.jpg City illuminations In conjunction with the Otemae-dori illuminations, we will collaborate with Himeji Station North Lively Exchange Plaza, downtown shopping districts, and private businesses to implement illuminations and light-ups at various facilities. Through this public-private collaboration, we aim to improve accessibility to the city center and extend the length of time people spend there. Downtown illumination participating businesses (planned) ・Acrie Himeji ・Sanyo Department Store ・Terrasso Himeji ・Nishinikaimachi Shopping Street ・Piore Himeji ・Himeji Station Shopping Street ・Himeji Festa
・Miyuki-dori Shopping Street